Bharain, April 30 -- There has been a decline in demand of cargo of 48per cent, according to the data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for March 2026. The IATA data shows that total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), fell by 4.8% compared to March 2025 levels (-5.5% for international operations); capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), decreased by 4.7% compared to March 2025 (-6.8% for international operations).

"Air cargo demand fell 4.8% in March compared to the previous year. This was mostly due to severe disruptions at major Gulf hubs due to war in the Middle East. The timing of the usual post-Lunar New Year slowdown also added to the decline. The underlying demand ...