INTERNATIONAL air freight handled at Asia Pacific airports was down 1.1 per cent in May and fell 2.2 per cent in the first five months of the year, reported Airports Council International (ACI).

"We are witnessing slowing growth or declines at major air freight exporters across Asia-Pacific. With a strong recovery in the Eurozone doubtful in the short run, the sluggishness in the air freight market will persist," said ACI economics director Rafael Echevarne. 

European airports posted a two per cent year-on-year decline in May and a 1.1 per cent drop from January to May, but North American airports posted 1.9 per cent gains in May and increased 1.6 per cent year to date.

Bucking the downward trend was Jakarta air cargo volume that went up 18.3 per cent andDubai's traffic increased 11.9 per cent.

Growth in global air cargo volume was down 0.4 per cent in May and up 0.1 per cent for the year to date.

"Air freight continues to maintain a sluggish pace with no growth in the volume of traffic worldwide. International freight was flat for the month, while domestic freight traffic decreased 1.1 per cent," the ACI said.

"In analysing the world's top 20 airports with respect to freight traffic, as much as 60 per cent of these airports faced year-on-year declines, said the ACI statement. 

Over the 12-month period, from June 2012 to May 2013, total freight volume increased 0.3 per cent.