Freighter capacity into Europe dropped 14% month-on-month in July 2026, equaling 18 fewer widebody flights daily, following the EU’s €3 customs duty on parcels under €150 introduced 1 July. Hong Kong–Europe air cargo volumes plunged 24% year-on-year by mid-July, with five straight weekly declines. Tonnages from mainland China fell 10% YoY; combined China–Hong Kong volumes to Europe dropped 11% YoY across weeks 26–29. Vietnam and Thailand saw 9% and 11% YoY declines respectively. A €2 handling fee takes effect 1 November 2026, ahead of the EU Customs Data Hub launch in 2028.
According to www.aircargonews.net, freighter capacity and air cargo volumes from Asia Pacific to Europe dropped sharply following the EU’s introduction of a €3 customs duty on low-value parcels on 1 July 2026 — with Hong Kong–Europe tonnages falling 24% year-on-year by mid-July.
Freighter capacity declines across major European airports
Daily average freighter capacity from the Asia Pacific and Middle East & South Asia into Europe fell 14% in July versus June, equivalent to 18 fewer widebody freighter flights per day, according to Aevean. The aviation consulting firm attributed the drop directly to the new EU customs regime. Airport-level data revealed steep contractions: capacity declined 46% at Budapest, 33% at Madrid, 24% at Milan, and 16% at Liège. Frankfurt and Schiphol registered more moderate reductions of 11–12%, while Paris-Charles de Gaulle was the sole top-10 airport to post growth — up 9%.
Hong Kong and mainland China volumes collapse
WorldACD Market Data confirmed that air cargo tonnages from Hong Kong to Europe were down more than 20% by mid-July compared with both last year and early June. Chargeable weight from Hong Kong to Europe fell a further 5% in week 29 (13–19 July), marking the fifth consecutive week-on-week decline. That brought Hong Kong–Europe volumes to 24% below the equivalent week in 2025. Averaged across weeks 26 to 29, tonnages were down 18% year-on-year — based on over 500,000 weekly transactions tracked by WorldACD.
Tonnages from mainland China to Europe fell 2% week-on-week in week 29, after dropping 9% the prior week — resulting in a 10% year-on-year decline. Across weeks 26–29, volumes from China to Europe were down 8% year-on-year. Combined tonnages for China and Hong Kong to Europe over those four weeks were down 11% year-on-year, while the rest of the global market recorded 5% year-on-year growth in the same period.
Regional ripple effects and upcoming fees
The impact extended beyond China and Hong Kong. In week 29, air cargo tonnages from Vietnam and Thailand to Europe were down 9% and 11% year-on-year, respectively. Overall chargeable weight from Asia Pacific to Europe declined 13% year-on-year in both weeks 28 and 29 — driven primarily by losses from China and Hong Kong. This contributed to an overall 15% year-on-year drop in APAC–Europe air cargo volumes, as reported on 20 July 2026.
The EU’s new import rules — effective 1 July 2026 — eliminated the previous ‘de minimis’ exemption for parcels valued below €150 and introduced a fixed €3 fee per item, plus new customs reporting requirements. A separate €2 handling fee per consignment is scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2026, intended to bridge the gap until the EU Customs Data Hub launches in 2028. Some EU member states have already begun implementing parallel local fees and requirements.
“Freighter capacity into Europe is thinning out this summer, with the EU €3 customs duty for low-value parcels as key driver.” — Aevean
“The steep drop in tonnages from China to Europe during that time, particularly from Hong Kong, is linked to the introduction in the European Union (EU) from 1 July of new import rules involving the removal of the previous ‘de minimis’ exemption on items valued below €150, introducing a fixed fee of €3 per item plus new customs reporting requirements.” — WorldACD
WorldACD noted that Hong Kong has been disproportionately affected because it historically handled a very high percentage of e-commerce volumes. Airports handling significant e-commerce traffic — including Liège, Budapest, and Madrid — reflected this shift most acutely. The decline aligns with broader industry patterns: freight forwarders such as Kuehne+Nagel and DSV reported strong Q2 2026 airfreight revenue growth — but driven by higher rates amid Middle East conflict pressures and semiconductor demand, not volume expansion on EU-bound lanes.
Source: Air Cargo News
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
