New Delhi, Sept. 30 -- Global air passenger demand slipped 0.8 per cent in August 2026 compared to the same period last year, driven lower by sharp regional declines across the Middle East.

The latest traffic data released by the International Air Transport Association showed total passenger capacity increased 0.3 per cent year-on-year, while the worldwide passenger load factor dropped by 0.9 percentage points to 85.1 per cent.

International passenger travel declined 0.9 per cent compared to August 2025, with capacity remaining completely flat year-on-year and load factors settling at 85 per cent. Domestic routes also registered a drop of 0.5 per cent in demand, even as domestic capacity expanded 0.7 per cent, pulling the domestic load ...