Staff Writer
Africa’s airlines stood out in a global aviation market that remained uneven in May 2026, as the continent posted one of the strongest growth performances despite broader international headwinds.
According to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African carriers recorded an 8.9% year-on-year increase in passenger demand.
Capacity also expanded, rising 8.3%, while the load factor improved slightly to 73.4%, up 0.4 percentage points compared to May 2025.
The performance highlights steady recovery momentum across African air travel markets, supported by rising intra-regional connectivity and improving travel demand.
Globally, however, the picture was more subdued. Total passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), declined by 2.2% compared to May 2025.
When excluding the Middle East, global demand still managed a modest 0.7% increase, highlighting the extent to which disruptions in that region weighed on overall performance.
International traffic fell 1.6% year-on-year, with capacity down 2.4%. Despite the contraction, the decline was less severe than in previous months, and load factors reached a record high for May at 83.7
. Regional performance varied widely, with many markets achieving strong utilisation levels.
Asia-Pacific airlines recorded a 1.3% increase in demand, even as capacity dipped 1.1%, lifting the load factor to 85.3%.
Supply constraints in markets such as Vietnam, driven by tighter jet fuel import limits, contributed to reductions in short-haul capacity and softer intra-Asia traffic.
European carriers posted 3.8% growth in demand, supported by a 2.3% rise in capacity and a load factor of 85.4%.
A notable feature of the region’s performance was a 15% increase in direct traffic between Europe and Asia, signalling a shift toward more point-to-point connectivity.
North American airlines saw modest growth, with demand up 1.0% and capacity rising 0.6%. The load factor improved slightly to 84.0%.
In contrast, Middle Eastern carriers experienced a sharp 28.8% drop in demand, alongside a 24.3% reduction in capacity.
The decline, largely linked to the ongoing impact of conflict-related disruptions in the region, pushed the load factor down to 76.1%. However, IATA noted that the rate of contraction was easing compared to April.
Latin American airlines also performed strongly, with demand increasing 10.5% year-on-year and capacity up 9.0%, resulting in a load factor of 85.0%.
Domestic markets remained under pressure, falling 3.1% globally. China recorded the steepest decline, potentially linked to fare pressures and shifting holiday timing, while the United States also saw notable weakness.
Despite global volatility, industry officials say underlying demand remains resilient.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh noted that while geopolitical tensions and fuel price uncertainty continue to shape market conditions, airlines are still managing to maintain high load factors even as profitability margins remain tight.
