Abstract
The paper aims to analyze air metric tons, gross logistics revenues, and cargo tonne kilometers (CTK) to benchmark pre-COVID (2014-2019) and post-COVID (2020-2022) periods using statistical methods, including mean values, standard deviation, variance, covariance, correlation, and T-tests. The findings reveal substantial decreases in all three variables in the post-COVID period, highlighting the significant impact of the pandemic on the air-freight industry. Specifically, the mean air metric tons decreased from 3,276,888 pre-COVID to 1,021,272 post-COVID; gross logistics revenues dropped from $6,155.37 million to $2,114.91 million, and CTK declined from 7,984.25 to 2,687.36. The reduced standard deviation and variance indicate less variability in the post-COVID period. Additionally, strong positive correlations between pre-COVID and post-COVID variables indicate consistent trends across the two periods. The paper’s originality lies in its findings which emphasize the need for the air freight industry to adapt and develop strategies mitigating the effects of future disruptions, underscoring the pandemic's profound impact on air freight operations and financial performance.