Air passenger demand falls 3.4% in April due to West Asia crisis: IATA data

International passenger demand fell 5.3% year-on-year, while international capacity declined 5.1%.

Bengaluru: Global air passenger demand fell 3.4 per cent year-on-year in April 2026, as the Iran war sharply disrupted regional air traffic and pushed up fuel costs, according to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The decline was driven primarily by a 46.6 per cent fall in passenger demand among Middle Eastern carriers, which dragged down overall global performance, despite growth in most other regions. Excluding the Middle East, global passenger demand would have risen 1.2 per cent during the month.

Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), declined 3.4 per cent, compared with April 2025, while total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), fell 2.9 per cent year-on-year. Global load factor stood at 83.1 per cent, down 0.4 percentage points from the same month last year.

International passenger demand fell 5.3 per cent year-on-year, while international capacity declined 5.1 per cent. However, excluding Middle Eastern carriers, international demand grew 1.9 per cent. Domestic demand remained flat, compared with April 2025, although capacity increased 0.8 per cent year-on-year.

“The 46.6 per cent fall in demand for carriers in the Middle East due to war in the region was so acute that it dragged overall demand down -3.4 per cent. The situation for air transport remains highly volatile. The cost of jet fuel more than doubled in April, which is pushing airfares up. Forward schedule data is showing a reduced offering in the coming months, indicating that airlines are balancing high fuel costs and weaker demand,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh.

Among international markets, Asia-Pacific airlines recorded a 3 per cent increase in demand, while capacity rose 0.7 per cent year-on-year. Load factor in the region reached a record 87.5 per cent for April, up 1.9 percentage points from a year earlier. IATA, however, noted a slowdown in traffic on the Japan-China corridor due to continuing political tensions.

European carriers posted a 0.9 per cent increase in demand and a 0.3 per cent rise in capacity. Load factor improved 0.6 percentage points to 84.9 per cent. Direct traffic between Europe and Asia surged 15.3 per cent, as airlines rerouted passengers away from Middle Eastern transit hubs.

North American carriers reported flat demand growth, while capacity declined 1.1 per cent. Latin American airlines recorded the strongest regional growth, with demand rising 8.9 per cent and capacity increasing 7.2 per cent. African airlines posted a 2.2 per cent increase in demand and a 1.2 per cent rise in capacity.

Middle Eastern airlines saw international demand plunge 48.1 per cent year-on-year, while capacity dropped 38.4 per cent. Load factor for the region declined 13.1 percentage points to 70.1 per cent.

IATA said traffic continued to be affected by the ongoing Iran war, although the decline eased slightly compared with March following an uneasy ceasefire.

In domestic markets, India reported a 2.9 per cent decline in passenger demand despite a 2.3 per cent increase in capacity. Domestic load factor in India fell 4.3 percentage points to 81.6 per cent.