International air transport industry body that releases global aviation demand and safety data, including cargo and passenger statistics across regions.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
July 2026
Windhoek Observer
International Air Transport Association (IATA)reportedglobal air cargo demand increased 8.5% in June 2026 year-on-year
Source
“Global air cargo demand continued its strong growth in June 2026, increasing by 8.5% compared to the same month last year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).”
IATAhas launchedsafety training and capacity-building workshops to improve aviation safety across Africa
Source
“The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a series of safety training and capacity-building workshops to improve aviation safety across Africa.”
International Air Transport Association (IATA)released data showingAfrican carriers recorded 8.9% year-on-year increase in passenger demand
Source
“According to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African carriers recorded an 8.9% year-on-year increase in passenger demand.”
IATAhas issuedguidance on how Jet A could be used in markets that traditionally use Jet A-1
Source
“To support that flexibility, IATA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have each issued guidance on how Jet A could be used in markets that traditionally use Jet A-1.”
International Air Transport Association (IATA)has urgedAfrican governments to place aviation at centre of long-term economic planning
Source
“The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged African governments to place aviation at the centre of long-term economic planning, saying the sector supports trade, tourism, jobs and regional integration.”
International Air Transport Associationreportedtotal cargo demand declined 4.8% year-on-year in March
Source
“IATA reported that total cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres, declined by 4.8% year-on-year, while international cargo operations declined by 5.5%.”
International Air Transport Association (IATA)reported17.3% increase in African airline cargo capacity in February 2026
Source
“According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the surge in demand was matched by a 17.3% increase in cargo capacity, reflecting efforts by African carriers to scale operations in response to rising trade volumes.”
International Air Transport Associationprovides exclusive data toHenley Passport Index
Source
“The Henley Passport Index is widely regarded as a benchmark for global mobility, based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association.”
Global air cargo demand increased 8.5% year-on-year in June 2026, outpacing a 4.4% rise in available capacity, according to the International Air Transport Association. Growth was driven by high-value technology shipments and urgent freight across all regions, though IATA cautioned that Middle East conflict and potential US tariff measures pose risks for the second half of 2026.
Global air cargo demand increased 8.5% year-on-year in June 2026, outpacing a 4.4% rise in available capacity, according to the International Air Transport Association. Growth was driven by high-value technology shipments and urgent freight across all regions, though IATA cautioned that Middle East conflict and potential US tariff measures pose risks for the second half of 2026.
The International Air Transport Association has launched a series of monthly safety training workshops across Africa to improve aviation safety, with sessions on safety management systems, ground operations, runway safety, and related topics throughout 2025.
The airline industry expects to carry 8 billion passengers annually within 20–25 years, heading toward 10 billion by 2050, according to IATA. SITA's Impact Report 2025 shows the sector is using software and technology rather than expanding physical infrastructure to handle this growth, with airports scaling capacity within existing buildings, governments expediting border processing, and AI moving into flight operations.
African carriers recorded an 8.9% year-on-year increase in passenger demand in May 2026, with capacity rising 8.3% and load factor improving to 73.4%, according to International Air Transport Association data. Global demand contracted by 2.2% over the same period, though the decline was less severe than in previous months.
Zambia and Zimbabwe have signed the Aviation Carbon Market Compact as part of the Supporting Alliance for CORSIA Eligible Emissions Unit (EEU) Supply, a global initiative to scale up carbon credits for international aviation. The alliance now includes 50 entities and aims to meet CORSIA's expected demand for 225–250 million carbon credits by spring 2027.
Middle East conflict has strained global aviation fuel supply, prompting the industry to explore flexibility between fuel grades—primarily Jet A-1 and Jet A—to maintain flight schedules and mitigate potential shortfalls in some regions.
The International Air Transport Association has called on African governments to treat aviation as core economic infrastructure rather than a tax source, citing its support for trade, tourism, jobs and regional integration. The association highlighted that while safety has improved, African accident rates remain above the global average, and implementation of international safety standards is below target across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Global air cargo demand fell 4.8% year-on-year in March as Middle East conflict disrupted major Gulf transit hubs and raised fuel costs, the International Air Transport Association reported, though African airlines posted 7.0% growth and global trade indicators still point to cargo growth in 2026.
African airlines are the fastest-growing region in global air cargo, recording 21% year-on-year demand increase in February 2026, with the Africa-Asia route showing particularly strong growth of 61.9%. Despite the momentum, Africa remains a small player at 2.1% of the global market, facing challenges including limited airport infrastructure and high operational costs.
The Namibian passport has risen to 60th place in the 2026 Henley & Partners Passport Index, granting holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 75 destinations—an improvement from its 62nd ranking in 2025. Namibia's passport now outranks those of Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Angola, though it remains behind South Africa and Botswana in the region.
African airlines posted double-digit passenger growth of 11.7% year-on-year in January 2026, well above the global average of 3.8%, signalling sustained recovery and growing appetite for air travel across the continent. However, geopolitical tensions in Iran and potential disruptions to fuel supply routes pose risks to the sustainability of this growth.
African passenger traffic rose 7.8% in 2025 and the continent's load factor reached a record 74.9%, according to the International Air Transport Association, though Africa still accounted for only 2.2% of global passenger air travel and 2.1% of air cargo markets. IATA's Director General highlighted decarbonisation and supply chain challenges as key issues facing the global aviation industry.
Namibia has nearly doubled its international air connectivity since 2023 and achieved the largest capacity growth among southern African countries without a flag carrier, with passenger numbers growing 11% in early 2025. The Air Connect Namibia initiative has secured several new international routes and added over 120,000 new seats to the network, positioning the country as a premier tourism and investment destination.
African airlines achieved an 11.2% year-on-year increase in passenger demand in November 2025, outperforming European carriers at 6.8%, according to data released by the International Air Transport Association. Global air cargo demand rose 5.5%, with the Africa-Asia trade lane growing 9.5% for the fifth consecutive month.