Global air travel demand falls 0.8% as Middle East traffic drops

Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased 0.3% year-on-year, while the passenger load factor fell 0.9 percentage points to 85.1%, according to IATA.

International passenger demand decreased 0.9% compared with August 2025, although it rose 1.3% when Middle Eastern carriers were excluded. International capacity was unchanged, with the load factor declining 0.8 percentage points to 85.0%.

Domestic demand fell 0.5% year-on-year, while capacity increased 0.7%. The domestic load factor stood at 85.3%, down 1.1 percentage points.

“Global demand for air transport contracted by 0.8% compared to August 2025 as the recovery trajectory for carriers in the Middle East was interrupted,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.

She noted that, excluding Middle Eastern carriers, air travel demand grew 0.6% in August, half the pace recorded in July. IATA said global connectivity was generally weaker during the month, although domestic travel in China strengthened.

By region, passenger traffic increased in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Europe, while it declined in North America and the Middle East.

Among international markets, European carriers saw demand rise 2.1%, while Latin American and African airlines each recorded 6.7% growth. Asia-Pacific carriers reported a 0.1% decline, while North American and Middle Eastern carriers saw declines of 1.7% and 14.2%, respectively.

Domestic traffic increased 5.8% in China but fell 7.5% in India, 2.9% in the United States and 2.0% in Japan.

IATA said forward schedules for October indicate cautious optimism, with available seats expected to grow by 2.0%.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) had sharply downgraded its financial outlook for the global airline industry, citing disruptions in the Middle East and soaring fuel prices.