The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has disclosed that 93 per cent of the $1.2 billion of airline revenues trapped globally are in Africa and the Middle East.
IATA’s latest data revealed that airline funds blocked from repatriation stood at $1.2 billion as of the end of October 2025, reflecting only a marginal improvement of $100 million since April.
The association regretted that the situation remained unpleasant and continued to place significant financial strain on carriers operating in affected countries.
IATA’s Director-General, Willie Walsh, has therefore called on governments, particularly those in Africa, to remove restrictions on currency repatriation and allow airlines to access revenues from ticket sales, cargo and related activities, as guaranteed under Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs).
He insisted that airlines needed reliable access to their revenues in U.S. dollars to keep operations running, pay their bills, and maintain vital air connectivity.
Walsh stressed that freeing trapped funds was not only a contractual obligation but also crucial for economic growth.
He added, “Governments have committed to unfettered repatriation of funds. With low margins and high dollar-denominated costs, airlines depend on governments fulfilling that commitment.
“It is in the interest of governments to foster the economic catalyst that airlines provide by connecting their economies globally. We urge governments to prioritise forex allocation for airline repatriation, even in periods of scarcity.”
Besides, IATA revealed that 10 countries, mostly in Africa, accounted for $1.08 billion or 89 per cent of the total blocked funds, while Algeria now tops the list with $307 million held back due to newly introduced approval requirements by the Ministry of Trade.
Others are XAF Zones (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon), $179 million; Lebanon, $138 million; Mozambique, $91 million; Angola, $81 million; Eritrea, $78 million; Zimbabwe, $67 million; Ethiopia, $54 million, Pakistan, $54 million and Bangladesh with $32 million.
Walsh attributed political instability, economic pressure, forex scarcity and inconsistent documentation procedures as the primary contributors to the crisis.
He further called for greater transparency on the issue and launched a public website that would provide quarterly updates, background details, and policy developments on blocked funds globally.
In other news, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said airlines worldwide paid about $60.4 billion in taxes and charges to governments in 2024.
IATA said that these charges and taxes were added to airline fares and were payable by air passengers in the previous year.
IATA said: “Air transport passengers paid $60.4bn in ticket taxes and charges in 2024. These taxes, added to airline fares, are collected by carriers and passed on to governments.”
