Global passenger demand contracts in August as Middle East slump worsens: IATA

Global passenger demand decreased by 0.8% year-on-year in August 2026, primarily due to a significant decline within the Middle East region. This contraction was reflected in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), which fell by 0.8% compared to August 2025’s figures. Despite this downturn, total capacity, measured as available seat kilometres (ASKs), experienced an increase. IATA attributes this decrease largely to the ongoing slump observed across airlines operating in the Middle Eastern market. The data highlights a challenging period for international air travel recovery following recent trends.