Global Air Cargo Demand Up 7.7 Pct In September 2026 -- IATA

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- Total air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), rose 7.7 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in September 2026, with international demand increasing 8.6 per cent, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTK), increased by 2.7 per cent compared with September 2025, while capacity for international operations increased by 3.3 per cent.

IATA senior vice president for sustainability and chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen said stronger global trade and manufacturing provided a supportive backdrop, while artificial intelligence-related shipments helped drive another month of double-digit growth across the Pacific.

“The challenge is cost. Jet fuel prices have more than doubled compared with a year ago, and yields have not kept pace.

“There is no shortage of goods to ship, but doing that profitably in the face of persistently high fuel prices has become more challenging,” she said in a statement.

The association said several operating environment factors were noteworthy, including a 3.6 per cent (y-o-y increase in global trade in August, extending the streak of consecutive monthly growth to 42 months.

Meanwhile, IATA said jet fuel prices rose by 17.5 per cent month-on-month in September and were 103.4 per cent higher than a year earlier.

Global manufacturing activity pointed upwards in August, as the Global Manufacturing Output Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose 0.7 points to 53.8, while the New Export Orders Index increased 0.5 points to 51.9.

Both indicators reached their highest level in five years and remain supportive of air cargo demand.

IATA said Asia-Pacific airlines recorded an 8.6 per cent y-o-y growth in air cargo demand in September, while capacity increased by 4.9 per cent y-o-y.

“North American carriers saw an 11.8 per cent y-o-y increase in air cargo demand in September, the strongest performance of all regions. Capacity increased by 0.8 per cent y-o-y.

“European carriers saw a 4.5 per cent y-o-y increase in demand for air cargo in September. Capacity decreased by 1.6 per cent y-o-y,” it said.

Meanwhile, Middle Eastern carriers saw a 3.8 per cent y-o-y increase in demand for air cargo in September, the weakest of all regions. Capacity increased by 7.0 per cent y-o-y.

“Air cargo performance remained mixed across major trade lanes in September. Asia–North America recorded the strongest growth, followed by within Asia, Europe–North America and Europe–Asia,” it added.

In contrast, Middle East-linked corridors remained under pressure, with traffic declining on both Europe–Middle East and Middle East–Asia routes.

-- BERNAMA