War Drops Global Air Traffic by 3.4% in April, But Brazil and Latin America Stand Out with Growth, IATA Reports

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released global passenger demand data for April 2026 on Thursday (29), revealing a 3.4% drop in global air traffic compared to the same period last year. Despite the negative scenario on a global scale, Brazil appeared among the domestic markets that registered growth, helping to offset the declines observed in other countries. According to the entity, global performance was heavily impacted by the crisis in the Middle East. Demand from airlines in the region plummeted 48.1% in April compared to the previous year, a direct reflection of the ongoing war in Iran. Excluding the Middle East, global demand would have shown growth of 1.2%. In domestic markets, IATA reported that traffic remained stable compared to April 2025. Growth recorded in Brazil, China, and Japan offset declines seen in countries such as Australia, India, and the United States. According to the association, global capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), fell 2.9% compared to the previous year. The average load factor was 83.1%, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points year-on-year. IATA Director General Willie Walsh stated that the sector continues to face a scenario of high volatility. According to him, in addition to the sharp drop in demand in the Middle East, the increase in the price of aviation fuel has also put pressure on the market. “The 46.6% drop in demand for operators in the Middle East due to the war in the region was so sharp that it dragged overall demand down by 3.4%. The situation for air transport remains highly volatile. The cost of aviation fuel more than doubled in April, which is pushing ticket prices upwards,” said Walsh. In the international segment, global demand fell 5.3% in April, while capacity contracted by 5.1%. Still, without considering the Middle East, international traffic would have grown by 1.9%. Latin America presented one of the best performances of the period. Airlines in the region recorded an 8.9% growth in international demand compared to the same month in 2025. Capacity increased by 7.2%, while the load factor reached 84.6%. In Asia-Pacific, demand grew by 3%, with a record load factor for April, reaching 87.5%. European airlines saw a 0.9% increase in international traffic, driven mainly by the increase in direct flights between Europe and Asia. American airlines maintained stable demand, while African airlines recorded growth of 2.2% during the period. – https://aeroin.net/mesmo-com-queda-global-no-transporte-aereo-causada-pela-guerra-brasil-impulsiona-mercado-domestico-diz-iata/