International Air Transport Association (IATA): Middle East Disruption Impacts Cargo Markets, Demand Falls 4.8% in March (29 April 2026)
Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for March 2026 global air cargo markets showing: 
• Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), fell by 4.8% compared to March 2025 levels (-5.5% for international operations).
• Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), decreased by 4.7% compared to March 2025 (-6.8% for international operations).
“Air cargo demand fell 4.8% in March compared to the previous year. This was mostly due to severe disruptions at major Gulf hubs due to war in the Middle East. The timing of the usual post–Lunar New Year slowdown also added to the decline. The underlying demand trends, at this point, appear strong and the recent World Trade Organization and International Monetary Fund revisions to trade and GDP projections continue to see growth in 2026. Importantly, air cargo networks are providing the flexibility needed to support global supply chains as they adjust to geopolitical, tariff, and operational strains. All eyes are on fuel supply and price, which are expected to test the industry’s resilience in the coming months,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2026-releases/2026-04-29-03/

International Air Transport Association (IATA): March Passenger Demand Up 2.1% But Sharp Regional Differences (29 April 2026)
Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for March 2026 global passenger demand: 
• Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 2.1% compared to March 2025. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), decreased 1.7% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.6% (+3.1 ppt compared to March 2025).
• International demand fell -0.6% compared to March 2025. Capacity was down -6.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.1% (+4.7 ppt compared to March 2025). The overall decline in international traffic was led by a -60.8% fall in traffic by carriers in the Middle East.
• Domestic demand increased 6.5% compared to March 2025. Capacity increased 5.6% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.0% (+0.7 ppt compared to March 2025).
“Demand for air travel continued to grow in March despite disruptions in the Middle East. The nearly 61% decline in international traffic by carriers in the Middle East did, however, restrain global growth to 2.1%. Outside of the Middle East demand grew by 8%,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2026-releases/2026-04-29-04/

International Air Transport Association (IATA): IATA Calls on African Governments to Prioritize Aviation for Long Term Economic Growth (29 April 2026)
Addis Ababa - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on African governments to prioritize aviation as a strategic enabler of economic and social development.
“Aviation is economic infrastructure for Africa. Its value lies in the long‑term benefits it delivers. An aviation strategy focused on safety, cost-competitiveness, energy security/sustainability, and ease of doing business will create jobs, enable trade, support tourism, and further regional integration. The prosperity this generates will allow governments to push forward social and economic development more durably than any tax that might be collected from travelers,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.
A Strategy for Aviation in Africa
At its Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, IATA urged governments to pursue a comprehensive aviation strategy with the following elements: 
1. Improving Safety
Africa has made significant progress in aviation safety. Between 2024 and 2025, the accident rate fell from 12.13 to 7.86 per million sectors, but it remains well above the global average of 1.32 and is the highest among all regions.
To further improve safety in Africa, IATA called for all parties in IATA’s Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) to mobilize resources in three areas: 
https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2026-releases/2026-04-29-01/

Stichwörter: Pressemitteilungen von der IATA vom 29.04.2026, air cargo demand, Middle East disruption, cargo tonne‑kilometers, passenger demand, international traffic decline, African aviation strategy, safety improvement, CASIP program, economic development, aviation infrastructure

Kategorie(n): Aus den Organisationen