African airlines posted a seven per cent increase in demand for air cargo in March compared to the same period in the previous year.

This comes as global demand dropped by 4.8 per cent within the period, mainly due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

These data were contained in a report released yesterday by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

According to IATA, the seven per cent year-on-year increase in demand for air cargo was the strongest rise across regions.

IATA, however, said that capacity by Africa’s carriers decreased by 4.6 per cent year-on-year.

For the Asia-Pacific airlines, the carriers saw a 5.4 per cent year-on-year growth in air cargo demand with a five per cent increase in capacity year-on-year.

European carriers saw a 2.2 per cent year-on-year increase in demand for air cargo in March and an increase in capacity of 4.2 per cent year-on-year.

Latin American and Caribbean carriers saw a 1.8 per cent year-on-year increase in demand for air cargo in March, with increased capacity of 5.1 per cent year-on-year.

But North American carriers saw a 1.2 per cent year-on-year decrease in air cargo demand in March, with reduced capacity at 1.1 per cent year-on-year.

Also, Middle Eastern carriers saw a 54.3 per cent year-on-year decrease in demand for air cargo in March, the weakest performance of all regions, while their capacity decreased by 52.4 per cent year-on-year.

Commenting on the development, IATA’s Director-General, Willie Walsh, said the fall in air cargo demand by 4.8 per cent in March compared to the previous year was mostly due to severe disruptions at major Gulf hubs due to the war in the Middle East.

Walsh added that the timing of the usual post–Lunar New Year slowdown also added to the decline.

He added: “The underlying demand trends, at this point, appear strong, and the recent World Trade Organisation and International Monetary Fund revisions to trade and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projections continue to see growth in 2026.

“Importantly, air cargo networks are providing the flexibility needed to support global supply chains as they adjust to geopolitical, tariff, and operational strains. All eyes are on fuel supply and price, which are expected to test the industry’s resilience in the coming months.”