GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Oct 10, 2026
Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity is the available loading volume or weight that a means of transport, a flight, a vessel or an entire route offers for moving goods – regardless of how much of it is actually booked or loaded.
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Source: https://www.iata.org/en/about/glossary/airport-cargo-capacity/
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Definition & Explanation
Cargo capacity is the available loading volume or weight that a means of transport, a flight, a vessel or an entire route offers for moving goods – regardless of how much of it is actually booked or loaded. In air freight it is usually expressed in tonnes per flight or per time window, combining dedicated freighter capacity with the belly-hold space of passenger aircraft. A short-term drop in cargo capacity at an airport or on a route – for example through operational disruptions, flight cancellations or closures – cannot automatically be extrapolated into a longer-lasting shortage; what matters is the specific, confirmed flight or shipment. This is distinct from cargo capacity utilization, which measures the share of available capacity that is actually used.
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