GENEVA—The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released international scheduled traffic results for both December 2008 and the full-year. The numbers are not good.

“The 22.6 percent free fall in global cargo is unprecedented and shocking,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s director general and CEO. “There is no clearer description of the slowdown in world trade. Even in September 2001, when much of the global fleet was grounded, the decline was only 13.9 percent,” he added.

Los Angeles International Airport, the fourth-busiest U.S. airport, saw a 13.5 percent decline in air cargo volumes during 2008, according to statistics released earlier in the week. Analysts told LM that near term forecasts are bleak.

“And we don’t expect a rebound for at least another six months,” said Guy Fox, president of Guy Fox & Assoc., a Yorba Linda, Calif.-based consulting firm.

 Air cargo moving through the airport last year, including mail and freight, fell from 2.08 million tons in 2007 to 1.8 million tons in 2008. The drop was solely attributable to a 14.3 percent decline in air freight through LAX, which easily offset a 10.2 percent increase in air mail in 2008. Mail cargo increased to 73,505 tons from 66,707 tons in 2007. Freight fell to 1.72 million tons from 2.01 million tons.

 According to IATA, Asia-Pacific carriers, accounting for 45 percent of international cargo, led the December decline with a 26.0 percent contraction compared to the previous year. Full year international air freight traffic contracted 4.0 percent for the year compared to 4.3 percent growth in 2007.

 Bisignani said that the slump is widespread and may deepen.

 “The collapse in the airline industry’s freight business is a reflection of 20-30 percent declines in export and import volumes being reported across Asia, North America and Europe as the global recession plumbs new depths in December,” he said.