African Airlines Record Highest International Passenger Demand Growth in June

African airlines recorded the strongest growth in international passenger demand among all global regions in June 2026, according to the latest passenger traffic report released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The report showed that African carriers posted a 6.7 per cent year-on-year increase in international passenger demand, outperforming all other regions. Airline capacity also increased by 7.0 per cent, while the average passenger load factor stood at 74.2 per cent, representing a marginal decline of 0.3 percentage points compared with June 2025.

According to IATA, Latin American airlines recorded the second-highest international passenger demand growth at 3.5 per cent, followed by European carriers with 1.5 per cent and Asia-Pacific airlines with 0.4 per cent.

Commenting on the global outlook, IATA Director General, Willie Walsh, said passenger demand remained resilient despite economic uncertainties and operational challenges affecting the aviation industry. He noted that airlines continued to benefit from strong consumer confidence in international travel.

By Oshuniran Sheriff Ola