International freight traffic carried by Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), expressed in freight tonne km terms, grew by four percent in July, slightly ahead of capacity growth, with the freight load factor edging up to 66.8 percent.

Andrew Herdman, AAPA's director general, said air cargo traffic growth this year had been relatively weak, up just 2.8 percent in FTK terms for the first seven months.

"But 4.0 percent growth in July could suggest an improving trend as we move into the traditionally stronger second half of the year," he said.