Air carriers report increased bookings

The extra flights probably won't be enough to cater for the demand from exporters, said Sunny Ho, executive director of Hong Kong Shippers' Council, which represents exporters.

``Volume-wise, air freight accounts for less than 3 percent of exports from Hong Kong,'' Ho said. ``Airfreight space is tight.''

More than 4,300 40-foot containers leave Hong Kong by sea to the US every day, said Ho.

Japan Airlines System Corp, which has 10 freighters, doesn't plan to add extra cargo flights because of limited capacity.

Asia's biggest airline currently operates 44 cargo flights to the US a week.

``We know that the demand (for cargo shipments) from or to the US is increasing due to the port trouble,'' said Japan Airlines spokesman Tatsuo Yoshimura. ``At the moment there are no plans to increase rates.''

EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空), Taiwan's second-largest carrier, said it has no plans to charter any freighters or add any extra flights even though all of its cargo flights are at full capacity.