LAX moves record-breaking cargo volume in 2017

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) released its 2017 operating results, including a report that it handled 2.16 million tonnes of cargo during the year – an 8.1 percent increase from the previous year – breaking the previous record of 2.04 million tonnes handled in 2000.

The Airports Council International recently reported that total cargo handled by airports worldwide rose 7.9 percent in 2017, which puts the growth LAX is experiencing on par with the industry-wide trend.

Unlike express hubs such as Memphis (MEM) and Louisville (SDF), or interline hubs such as Anchorage (ANC) – which more serve as mid-points between the cargo’s origin and destination – a significant portion of the cargo moving through LAX is either destined for, or originated in, the airport’s catchment area.

In its statement, LAX attributed the growth to “increased trade between the Asia-Pacific and North American regions,” which agrees with the data on cargo volume from Airports Council International, which our sister publication Cargo Facts analyzed last week. Eight out of the top 10 airports listed are in either the Asia-Pacific or the North American regions, reflecting LAX’s above sentiment.