RIYADH: Middle Eastern airlines posted a 46.6 percent drop in passenger demand in April, pulling global air traffic down 3.4 percent as regional conflict disrupted travel networks.
According to the International Air Transport Association’s latest passenger traffic report, global demand would have remained positive if not for the severe downturn in the Middle East, where airlines faced disrupted operations, weaker travel demand and rising costs linked to the conflict.
The sharp decline underscores the Middle East’s growing importance to global aviation, with Gulf carriers operating some of the world’s largest transit hubs and connecting key long-haul routes between Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.
“The 46.6 percent 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 percent,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general.
Walsh warned that conditions remain volatile as airlines contend with surging fuel costs and softer demand. Forward booking data indicates that carriers are reducing schedules in the coming months as they seek to balance operating expenses and market conditions.
Middle Eastern airlines recorded the steepest decline among all regions in April. Total passenger demand fell 46.6 percent year on year, while international traffic declined 48.1 percent. Capacity also contracted sharply.
The decline was less severe than in March, although traffic remained heavily affected by disruptions to regional aviation networks.
“The war in the Middle East is no longer a regional crisis affecting only local airlines; it has become a factor influencing the performance of the global aviation sector as a whole,” Aseel Al-Aranki, research and analysis department manager at River Prime, told Arab News.
Al-Aranki said the impact extends beyond airlines to sectors such as tourism, trade, investment and business activity, all of which depend heavily on the Middle East’s extensive air connectivity.
She warned that prolonged instability could divert passenger and cargo traffic to alternative hubs outside the region, potentially eroding the Middle East’s strategic position in global aviation.
Higher jet fuel prices have added pressure on airlines already grappling with weaker demand, while rerouted flights and lower transit volumes through major regional hubs have increased operational challenges, she added.
Elsewhere, Asia-Pacific airlines posted the strongest gains among major international markets and achieved a record April load factor. European carriers also reported modest growth, supported in part by rising direct traffic between Europe and Asia as some travelers bypassed Middle Eastern transit routes.
Latin American and African airlines continued to expand, while North American traffic was broadly unchanged.
Despite pockets of resilience across global markets, April’s figures underscored how developments in the Middle East can quickly reshape aviation trends worldwide.
