African airlines expanded cargo capacity by 14% year on year in August, substantially outpacing demand growth of 3%, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The region recorded the strongest capacity growth globally but its cargo load factor – the proportion of available capacity used – fell 3.9 percentage points to 36.5%.
Cargo traffic on the Africa-Asia trade lane declined by 11.9% compared with August 2025, marking its third consecutive month of contraction.
Globally, air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne kilometres, increased by 4.4%, while available capacity edged down by 0.1%. The global cargo load factor rose two percentage points to 46%.
“Air cargo demand rose 4.4% year on year in August with all regions reporting growth even as capacity was trimmed by 0.1%,” said IATA Senior Vice-President for Sustainability and Chief Economist Marie Owens Thomsen.
“Strong demand and higher load factors helped airlines to recoup some of the exceptionally high fuel costs. Yields rose month on month for the first time since April while global goods trade growth continues. Both are positive signs as the year-end peak season comes into view.”
Jet fuel prices increased by 8.3% month on month in August and were 79.2% higher than a year earlier, according to IATA.
Global goods trade grew by 6% year on year in July while August’s manufacturing output and new export order indicators remained supportive of air cargo demand.
Performance varied considerably across trade lanes. Asia-North America traffic grew by 13.2% while Europe-Asia recorded growth of 3.1%.
Gulf-linked corridors remained disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East, IATA said. Europe-Middle East traffic declined by 12.1% while Middle East-Asia volumes fell 11%. Both lanes recorded their sixth consecutive month of contraction.
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