Aviation

Mid-East passenger demand keeps rising but cargo slows

April 1, 2025, 5:18 PM

Cargo being loaded at Dubai Airport. Middle Eastern carriers experienced the slowest demand growth in February for air cargo in any region

Slight fall from ‘extraordinary’ 2024
Total global demand up 3%
Air-cargo demand growth slows

Middle Eastern carriers have reported a yearly increase in passenger demand in February, albeit slightly down on the previous month because of factors including trade tensions, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata).

The latest monthly figures from Iata showed a 3 percent year-on-year increase in demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, in February, compared to 10 percent year-on-year growth in January.

Capacity increased 1 percent year-on-year and the load factor (the percentage of available seating capacity filled with passengers) was 82 percent (up 1 percentage points compared to February 2024), Iata said.

Total global demand was up 3 percent year-on-year compared to 10 percent year-on-year in January but overall all regions except North America still established record February levels of demand, according to the data.

“February traffic hit an all-time high, and the number of scheduled flights is set to continue increasing in March and April,” said Willie Walsh, Iata’s Director General.

Meanwhile Middle Eastern carriers experienced the slowest demand growth for air cargo of any region in February, at 12 percent year on year. Capacity decreased by 4 percent year-on-year.

Both drops can be mainly attributed to the leap year, which makes like-for-like annual comparisons more difficult, and trade tensions, according to Iata.

Walsh said that February saw a small contraction in air cargo demand, the first year-on-year decline since mid-2023.

“Much of this is explained by February 2024 being extraordinary – a leap year that was also boosted by Chinese New Year traffic, sea lane closures and a boom in e-commerce,” he said.

“Rising trade tensions are, of course, a concern for air cargo. With equity markets already showing their discomfort, we urge governments to focus on dialogue over tariffs.”