IATA reports growth in air cargo demand amid passenger traffic decline

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global aviation market showed diverging trends in August. Air cargo demand grew by 4.4% year-on-year, despite a slight 0.1% decrease in available capacity. This growth was observed across all regions, with North America seeing the strongest demand increase at 6.6%. In Africa, carriers expanded cargo capacity by 14%, significantly outpacing the 3% growth in actual demand.

Conversely, global air passenger demand fell by 0.8%. This decline was primarily driven by a sharp 14.6% drop in demand from Middle Eastern carriers due to regional disruptions. If Middle Eastern traffic is excluded, global passenger demand actually grew by 0.6%.

Regional passenger trends varied significantly: China and Brazil saw demand increases, while India experienced a 7.5% drop in domestic passenger traffic, the largest decline among major domestic markets. IATA noted that rising fuel costs and geopolitical instability remain key factors influencing travel budgets and connectivity.