——Shenzhen Eastation International Logistics Helps Clients Seize the Logistics Opportunity in H2 2026
In the first half of 2026, the global air freight logistics industry underwent a deep adjustment. Geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East once pushed fuel costs higher, placing pressure on global capacity supply. Entering the end of Q2, with the release of multiple policy tailwinds and changes in the macro environment, the industry is now facing a new round of structural opportunities. For air freight logistics companies that operate from South Korea as their departure base and serve core European and U.S. markets, opportunities have emerged amid the changes.
At the end of May 2026, China and South Korea held bilateral aviation talks in Seoul and reached an agreement to expand air rights for the first time in seven years. Under the new arrangement, the two countries will add 70 weekly flights, of which cargo flights will increase from 54 to 68 per week — an additional 14 weekly freight services.
On the cargo side, new destinations include Tianjin, Zhengzhou, Ezhou, and Hefei — four major Chinese cargo hub airports. The cargo traffic rights between South Korea and Chinese cargo hub airports have expanded from 10 to 12 airports. On the passenger side, popular routes such as Incheon-Shanghai and Incheon-Guangzhou will see increased frequencies — previously impossible due to full traffic rights quotas.
Significance for our business: Incheon Airport, as our core departure hub, now benefits from more ample cargo space resources and more flexible route scheduling capabilities thanks to the expanded freight rights. Especially ahead of the peak season in the second half of the year, the additional capacity will effectively alleviate space shortages, providing a more solid foundation for ensuring transit times on our core routes from South Korea to AMS, LHR, LGG, and LAX.
From July 1, 2026, the EU will officially implement new customs regulations that remove the tariff exemption for cross-border small parcels valued under €150. During a transitional period (July 2026 – July 2028), a temporary fixed duty of €3 per tariff line will be applied based on different tariff classifications within each parcel.
This policy will profoundly reshape the logistics model of cross-border e-commerce. For a long time, a large volume of direct-delivery small parcels relied on duty-free channels to enter the European market. After the new policy takes effect, direct-delivery small parcel costs will rise significantly, and the industry will accelerate its shift toward overseas warehouse stocking models. And overseas warehouse stocking means larger-volume, higher-frequency forward inbound air freight demand — which is precisely our core business area.
Significance for our business: As more cross-border e-commerce sellers opt for European overseas warehouse stocking models, inbound replenishment demand on air routes from South Korea to core European gateways such as AMS, LGG, and LHR is expected to grow significantly. Our capacity strength at the Incheon hub and our customs clearance capabilities at key European/U.S. airports will serve as reliable safeguards for clients navigating this policy change.
In March 2026, Hong Kong International Airport officially launched the "Freighter Network Expansion Program", offering financial incentives to encourage cargo airlines to increase freighter services. The program is expected to drive airlines to increase freighter flights by more than 15%. Meanwhile, the "Hong Kong International Airport – Dongguan Air-Sea Intermodal Facility" is promoting air-sea intermodal transport, with projected operating cost reductions of approximately 50% and cargo handling time savings of about one-third once fully operational.
The Cathay Group is also actively expanding its freighter fleet, having ordered two additional Airbus A350F freighters, while its subsidiary Air Hong Kong has leased one A330P2F converted freighter. Hong Kong's position as the world's busiest cargo airport has been further consolidated.
Implications for our business: The simultaneous capacity expansion of Hong Kong and Incheon — the two major air cargo hubs in Northeast Asia — will enhance the overall resilience and connectivity of the regional air freight network. For cargo transshipped via South Korea to Europe and the U.S., ample regional capacity will reduce the risk of space shortages during peak seasons.
According to the latest data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on June 29, 2026, global air freight demand grew 6.0% year-on-year in May 2026, with international demand up 6.5%. Capacity increased 1.9% year-on-year, with international capacity up 2.8%. Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America all recorded above-trend growth.
IATA expects that AI-related high-value cargo (such as AI servers and semiconductors) will continue to see rising shipment volumes, consistently driving up space utilization at key transit hubs including Seoul, Hong Kong, Tokyo Narita, and Singapore. Global trade has now posted 25 consecutive months of year-on-year growth. Although the full-year 2026 growth rate is expected to moderate compared to 2025, the underlying fundamentals of air freight demand remain solid.
The Middle East conflict in March 2026 triggered a sharp spike in jet fuel prices, prompting multiple airlines around the world to raise fuel surcharges for several consecutive rounds. As Middle East tensions eased and international jet fuel prices fell, starting from mid-May 2026, numerous global airlines have collectively lowered fuel surcharges on international routes — marking the first broad-based pullback after the surge since March.
In June, domestic fuel surcharges in China saw their first reduction of the year; on the international front, Hong Kong-based carriers have also twice reduced cargo fuel surcharges. Although major South Korean carriers raised surcharges significantly in May, subsequent adjustments are expected to stabilize as global oil prices trend downward.
Significance for our business: The retreat in fuel costs will directly reduce total air freight costs, which is a positive signal for the rate competitiveness of our South Korea-Europe/US routes. At the same time, the easing of cost pressures will also help airlines stabilize capacity supply, reducing the likelihood of flight cancellations and route cuts due to excessive costs.
In response to the above industry changes, Shenzhen Eastation International Logistics is fully prepared:
✅ Capacity assurance upgraded: Leveraging the increase cargo capacity from the expanded China-South Korea air rights, our space guarantee capabilities on core routes from Incheon to AMS, LHR, LGG, and LAX have been further strengthened.
✅ Tariff-optimized solutions: In response to the July 1 EU tariff reform, we provide cross-border e-commerce clients with European overseas warehouse inbound air freight solutions to help them smoothly transition to the new logistics model.
✅ Diversified gateway matrix: Beyond our core hubs, we continue to expand our alternative airport network to enhance supply chain resilience.
✅ Dynamic rate management: We closely track fuel surcharge adjustment trends to provide clients with optimal cost advice.
The industry adjustment in the first half of 2026 is nearing its end. The expansion of China-South Korea air rights brings capacity growth, the EU tariff reform generates new inbound air freight demand, and the retreat in fuel costs improves industry profit margins — three favorable factors converging to create the best strategic window for South Korea-Europe/US air freight in H2 2026.
Shenzhen Yidong International Logistics will continue to focus on its air freight expertise — originating from South Korea and serving European and U.S. markets — delivering stable capacity, optimized costs, and professional services to help every client gain a competitive edge amid global supply chain changes.
📞 For a customized logistics solution, please call 0755-29608051 or visit http://www.eastation.com.cn
