How did excluding the Middle East affect May 2026 demand figures?

Question

Accepted Answer

Excluding the Middle East Reveals Growth in May 2026 Air Passenger Demand

When the impact of carriers in the Middle East is removed, global air passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), actually increased by 0.7 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in May 2026. This contrasts with the overall global demand figure, which saw a decline of 2.2 per cent y-o-y for the same period. The exclusion of the Middle East's significant contraction highlights a more nuanced picture of the air travel market's performance.
International Demand Shows Positive Growth Excluding the Middle East

International air passenger demand experienced a decrease of 1.6 per cent y-o-y in May 2026. However, when the performance of Middle Eastern carriers is factored out, international demand demonstrated a robust growth of 3.1 per cent y-o-y. This suggests that regions outside the Middle East maintained a positive trajectory for international travel during the month.
Middle East Carriers Experienced a Significant Decline

Carriers based in the Middle East faced a substantial year-on-year decline in demand of 28.4 per cent in May 2026. This sharp contraction was a primary factor in the overall global demand figures showing a decrease. Despite this significant drop, it represented an improvement from the 46.6 per cent decline observed in April 2026, indicating some resilience in the region.
Domestic Demand Saw a Contraction in May 2026

Domestic air passenger demand contracted by 3.1 per cent compared to May 2025. This decline was accompanied by a decrease in capacity of 2.1 per cent y-o-y. Consequently, the load factor for domestic travel stood at 83 per cent, marking a decrease of 0.8 percentage points compared to May 2025.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

How did excluding the Middle East affect May 2026 demand figures?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends