Air cargo demand strong in September but passenger numbers down

September witnessed a significant surge in global airfreight demand, marking the second consecutive month of growth according to IATA data. Year-on-year air cargo trade experienced robust expansion, increasing by 7.7% overall for the month of September 2026. International operations demonstrated an even stronger performance, climbing to 8.6% compared to the previous year’s figures. This positive trend contrasts sharply with passenger travel which saw a decline of 0.5%. Overall air traffic demand decreased by 0.5% during this period.