Middle East cargo demand climbs 3.6% in May: IATA

A 3.6 per cent year-on-year increase was recorded in air cargo demand for Middle Eastern carriers in May 2025, outpacing the global average of 2.2 per cent, said Willie Walsh, Director-General, IATA. Capacity in the region also rose by 4.2 per cent, signalling continued resilience and growth in the Gulf’s air freight sector despite global trade shifts. The growth comes amid strong performance on key trade lanes linking the Middle East with Asia and Europe, driven by demand for time-sensitive goods and strategic re-routing of cargo, he informed. While the Asia-North America corridor saw a 10.7 per cent decline due to new US trade policies, the Middle East remained steady as a re-export hub, IATA noted.