Middle East cargo rebounds as passenger losses ease after conflict disruptions: IATA
RIYADH: Middle Eastern carriers showed signs of recovery in June, with cargo demand surging and passenger contractions easing as regional aviation began stabilizing after months of disruption.
According to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association, international cargo traffic on Middle Eastern airlines jumped 5.6 percent year on year, a 14.5 percentage point turnaround from May, reflecting the gradual restoration of transfer traffic through the region’s hub airports.
On the passenger side, traffic carried by Middle Eastern carriers fell 13.9 percent year on year, a marked improvement from the 28.8 percent decline recorded a month earlier.
In June, IATA estimated that Middle Eastern airlines will shift from a $7.2 billion profit in 2025 to a $4.3 billion loss in 2026 as regional disruptions and higher fuel prices weigh on the industry, warning that the region was especially exposed to the loss of transfer flows through its hub airports.
