Preliminary August 2026 traffic figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) show that international passenger traffic remained soft, as some airlines further rationalised capacity amid persistently elevated jet fuel prices, and airspace restrictions associated with the Middle East conflict. Higher air fares also weighed on regional demand, while long-haul traffic remained relatively resilient, including on Asia - Europe routes.

Meanwhile, air cargo markets continued to benefit from rising export activity and brisk demand for AI-related goods, although e-commerce shipments to Europe showed some weakness following the introduction of charges on small parcels.

International air cargo demand, as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), grew by 1.1% year-on-year, while offered freight capacity expanded by 1.6%. As a result, the average international freight load factor fell by 0.3 percentage points to 59.3% for the month.

Source: AAPA

 

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