The continued slump in the global air cargo market has taken its toll on Alaska, with the Alaska International Airport System cutting positions at the airports in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

“It has gotten to the point where the trimming of positions both inside and outside of the airport are noticeable,” said John Parrott, airport manager at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. “We have as many as 50 vacancies that we are not refilling due to budgetary considerations.” Parrott said the cuts hopefully would allow the Anchorage airport to remain competitive.

Recent cargo figures show that Anchorage International has dropped from the second busiest cargo airport in the world to the fifth position, with cargo volumes down 17.2 per cent decline for the first six months of the year compared to last year.

Ahead of Alaska is Memphis at number one, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Incheon, Korea at fourth position.