Global air cargo demand rises 4% in April, Middle East carriers suffer 18.2% drop
North American carriers saw 5% growth, while European carriers recorded 6% growth.
GLOBAL – Global air cargo demand increased 4% year-on-year in April, driven by strong Asia-linked trade flows, while Middle Eastern carriers saw an 18.2% decrease, the weakest performance of all regions.
Capacity decreased by 0.4% compared to April 2025, with Middle Eastern carriers experiencing a 22.9% capacity decline.
Regional Divergence and Asia-Pacific Leadership
Asia-Pacific airlines saw 10.5% year-on-year growth in air cargo demand in April, the strongest rise of all regions, with capacity increasing 5.3%. North American carriers saw 5% growth, while European carriers recorded 6% growth.
According to IATA Director General Willie Walsh, “Air cargo performance diverged across major trade lanes in April. Africa-Asia-led growth followed by Asia-Europe, with intra-Asia also holding strong on regional trade. In contrast, Gulf-linked corridors were severely disrupted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.”
The Asia-Pacific growth signals strong demand for perishable cargo moving out of the region, while the Middle East decline indicates capacity constraints for reefer shipments transiting Gulf hubs.
Geopolitical Disruption and Cost Pressures
Walsh said: “The air cargo demand grew 4 per cent year-on-year in April, driven by strong Asia-linked trade flows. But this positive news masks a more complex operating environment. Severe disruption at major Gulf hubs due to the war in the Middle East continued to reshape trade routes and constrain capacity on key corridors.”
Jet fuel prices rose sharply in April, up 121.1% year-on-year, alongside a 77.7% increase in crude oil prices. Global trade contracted by 2.1% month-on-month in March after four consecutive months of growth, highlighting the continued vulnerability of trade momentum to geopolitical shocks.
Manufacturing Sentiment and Freighter Role
Global manufacturing sentiment remained in growth territory in April, strengthening from March. The Purchasing Managers’ Index rose 1.9 points to 53.4, while the PMI for new export orders reached 50.2. With both indicators above the 50-point expansion threshold, conditions remain supportive for air cargo demand.
“With dedicated freighters carrying much of the growth, air cargo is once again keeping supply chains moving amid trade disruptions. The coming months will test how well the sector can absorb continued geopolitical uncertainty and elevated operating costs,” stated Walsh.
Therefore, the sector’s ability to absorb continued uncertainty and elevated operating costs will determine how reliably perishable cargo reaches consumers in the coming months.
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