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Namibian press · Organization

International Air Transport Association

Also known as: IATA

International air transport industry body that releases global aviation demand and safety data, including cargo and passenger statistics across regions.

2026-01-122026-08-21
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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. March 2026

  2. New Era

    International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data showing African carriers recorded 11.7% year-on-year passenger growth in January 2026

    Source

    “According to the latest data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African carriers recorded an 11.7% year-on-year increase in passenger demand in January 2026, well above the global average of 3.8%.”

    Double digit passenger growth for African airlines
  3. February 2026

  4. New Era

    International Air Transport Association (IATA) released figures showing Africa's annual passenger traffic rose 7.8% in 2025

    Source

    “These are the newly released figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).”

    African air traffic rises “…but still accounts for only 2.2% of global air travel”
  5. January 2026

  6. New Era

    International Air Transport Association cautioned that increased taxation on air travel threatens connectivity and undermines development

    Source

    “However, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently cautioned that increased taxation on air travel threatens connectivity, distorts competition, and ultimately undermines social and economic development in the regions most reliant on aviation as a lifeline.”

    Aviation surge fuels domestic investment … Air Connect Namibia achieves capacity growth

  7. New Era

    International Air Transport Association released November 2025 global passenger demand figures

    Source

    “These figures for November 2025 global passenger demand were released last week by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).”

    African airlines increase passenger demand
World & Region

Global air cargo demand rises 8.5% in June despite trade risks

The News

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.

30 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 30 July

  1. Global air cargo demand rises 8.5% in June despite trade risks

    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.

    30 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 28 July

  1. IATA launches African aviation safety workshops and training

    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.

    28 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 9 July

  1. Aviation industry to handle 10 billion passengers by 2050

    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.

    9 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 1 July

  1. African airlines grow 8.9% despite global aviation slowdown

    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.

    1 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 24 June

  1. Zambia, Zimbabwe join aviation carbon market initiative

    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.

    24 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 12 May

  1. Aviation industry adapts fuel strategies amid global supply pressure

    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.

    12 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 5 May

  1. IATA urges African governments to prioritise aviation for economic growth

    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.

    5 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. Middle East conflict drives global air cargo demand down 4.8%

    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.

    5 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 13 April

  1. African airlines record 21% cargo growth in February 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.

    13 April 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 17 March

  1. Namibian passport ranks 60th globally, improves from prior year

    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.

    17 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 4 March

  1. African airlines grow 11.7% in passengers despite global tensions

    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.

    4 March 2026 · New Era →

Monday 2 February

  1. Africa's air travel and cargo grow, but remain small globally

    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.

    2 February 2026 · New Era →

Friday 30 January

  1. Air Connect Namibia drives rapid aviation growth in region

    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.

    30 January 2026 · New Era →

Monday 12 January

  1. African airlines lead global demand growth in November 2025

    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.

    12 January 2026 · New Era →

International Air Transport Association — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute