Overview
- IATA’s April 2026 data show global passenger demand fell 3.4% year‑on‑year, with international traffic down about 5.3% driven by a near 47% collapse in demand for Middle Eastern carriers.
- Middle Eastern airlines saw the steepest hit, with international demand falling roughly 48% and capacity down about 38%, as traffic collapsed through Gulf hubs because of the Iran war.
- Jet fuel prices more than doubled in April, sharply raising operating costs and prompting carriers to trim forward schedules and reroute services to avoid Gulf transit points.
- Global air cargo rose about 4% in April as Asia‑Pacific carriers and freighters absorbed diverted flows, lifting direct Europe‑Asia services by about 15% and tightening available cargo capacity.
- The disruption is reshaping connectivity and costs: passengers face fewer direct connections and higher fares, shippers see tighter capacity and higher yields, and airlines are monitoring fuel prices and regional security for the next moves.