- Total market RPK decreased 2.2pc with ASK down 2.3pc and load factor at 83.5pc.
- International demand fell 1.6pc and capacity dropped 2.4pc.
- Middle East RPK declined 28.4pc while load factor fell to 75.9pc.
- Europe recorded 2.7pc total RPK growth and 85.9pc load factor.
- Domestic RPK contracted 3.1pc with China at minus 6.2pc.
Global air passenger demand has declined 2.2pc year-on-year in May 2026 according to IATA data. International RPK fell 1.6pc while domestic RPK contracted 3.1pc. Load factor reached 83.5pc which marked a record high for the month.
Middle East carriers recorded a 28.4pc drop in RPK and capacity fell 23.9pc. The impacts of the Iran war took place with the rate of decline almost half that of April. Asia Pacific airlines achieved a 1.3pc increase in international demand and load factor stood at 85.3pc. European carriers saw demand rise 3.8pc with capacity up 2.3pc and load factor at 85.4pc. Latin American airlines posted 10.5pc demand growth and African carriers reported 8.9pc growth.
Domestic markets showed contraction with China down 6.2pc and the United States down 1.9pc. Most other domestic markets achieved moderate growth. Excluding the Middle East global demand grew 0.7pc.
Willie Walsh shared “Air passenger demand was down 2.2pc year-on-year in May on the impact of war in the Middle East.”
