Ontario International Airport (ONT) recorded a decline in air freight volumes in 2021 although remaining above the levels seen in 2019 before the multi-year drag from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the Canadian airport — one of the busiest cargo airports in the country — reported that air shipments  last year stood at more than 890,000 tons, dropping by 3.7% compared to the 2020 level when e-commerce demand was at its peak, and 14% higher than 2019.

Nonetheless, it said e-commerce maintained its growth trajectory, growing by double-digit percentage in 2021 over 2019 on a year-to-date basis.

"Our airfreight partners continued to rely on Ontario International as a focal point in the distribution of consumer goods in Southern California," said Alan Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.

"Our expansive, modern facilities remain attractive to our tenants and are a great public asset for the region," Wapner added.