Global air passenger demand dropped 0.5% year on year in September, according to the latest figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The fall was led by the Middle East, where demand dropped 8%, with North America also down 1.6%. Excluding the Middle East, global demand grew 0.3%.
Africa recorded the strongest growth, with demand up 5% year on year, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (4.3%), Asia Pacific (0.5%) and Europe (0.3%).
Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist Marie Owens Thomsen said: “Air traffic demand fell 0.5% in September, reflecting weaknesses in the Middle East and North America. Nevertheless, this was an improvement from August, with a welcome return to growth in most international markets.
“These patterns have more-or-less repeated themselves throughout much of the year, and we can expect this to continue amid geopolitical uncertainty and volatile fuel prices.
“Global scheduled seat capacity is expected to remain above 2025 levels in October and November, but the rates of growth remain weak and highly unbalanced between regions.”
