The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that airlines in the Middle East recorded a sharp decline in demand for air freight during the month of March by 54.3%, which is the weakest performance among all regions, and freight capacity decreased by 52.4% on an annual basis.
IATA stated in a report that global air freight market statistics for the month of March 2026 showed a decline in total demand, which is measured by freight tons per kilometre, by 4.8% compared to March 2025 (5.5%).
For global operations. Capacity, measured by available freight tons per kilometre, also decreased by 4.7% compared to March 2025 (6.8%) for global operations.
Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said: “Demand for air freight fell by 4.8% in March this year compared to the previous year, mainly due to geopolitical turmoil witnessed in major hubs in the Arabian Gulf region, and the timing of the usual slowdown following the Lunar New Year holiday deepened this decline. Despite this, the underlying demand trends appear strong at this stage, and the recent updates issued by the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund regarding trade and GDP forecasts still indicate growth during 2026, as air cargo networks continue to provide the necessary flexibility to support global supply chains as they adapt to geopolitical and operational pressures and customs duties. Attention is currently turning to fuel supplies and prices, which are expected to reflect the sector’s ability to withstand in the coming months.”
Among the most important factors affecting the operating environment are jet fuel prices, which witnessed a sharp rise in March by 106.6% on an annual basis, in parallel with an increase in crude oil prices by 43.1% and an increase in refining margins by 320%.
Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region recorded air cargo demand growth in March of 5.4% year-on-year, with cargo capacity increasing by 5%. European airlines achieved growth in air freight demand of 2.2%, with cargo capacity increasing by 4.2% year-on-year.
Airlines in Latin America and the Caribbean saw demand grow by 1.8% in March, with cargo capacity increasing by 5.1% year-on-year.
African airlines recorded the strongest performance among regions in March, with demand growing by 7%, despite a 4.6% decline in cargo capacity.
