Middle East disruption hits March air cargo demand, IATA reports
Global air cargo demand fell in March as disruption at major Gulf hubs weighed heavily on market performance, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres, declined by 4.8% compared with March 2025, while international demand fell by 5.5%. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres, was down 4.7% year on year, with international capacity falling 6.8%.
IATA said the decline was largely driven by severe disruption linked to the conflict in the Middle East, alongside the timing of the usual post-Lunar New Year slowdown.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said: “Air cargo demand fell 4.8% in March compared to the previous year. This was mostly due to severe disruptions at major Gulf hubs due to war in the Middle East. The timing of the usual post–Lunar New Year slowdown also added to the decline.
“The underlying demand trends, at this point, appear strong and the recent World Trade Organization and International Monetary Fund revisions to trade and GDP projections continue to see growth in 2026.
“Importantly, air cargo networks are providing the flexibility needed to support global supply chains as they adjust to geopolitical, tariff, and operational strains.
“All eyes are on fuel supply and price, which are expected to test the industry’s resilience in the coming months.”
The impact was most pronounced among Middle Eastern carriers, which recorded a 54.3% year-on-year drop in air cargo demand, the weakest regional performance in March. Capacity in the region fell by 52.4%.
Elsewhere, performance was more resilient. Asia-Pacific airlines reported 5.4% year-on-year demand growth, with capacity up 5.0%, while European carriers saw demand rise 2.2% and capacity increase 4.2%.
African airlines recorded the strongest regional growth, with demand up 7.0% despite a 4.6% fall in capacity. Latin American and Caribbean carriers posted a 1.8% increase in demand, with capacity up 5.1%.
North American carriers recorded a 1.2% decline in demand, while capacity decreased by 1.1%.
IATA said trade lane performance varied significantly in March. Africa-Asia led growth, followed by Asia-Europe, while intra-Asia traffic remained robust. However, Gulf-linked corridors were severely affected by the disruption in the Middle East.
You can read the latest Air Cargo Market Analysis from IATA in full here.