IATA News

FlightGlobal

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September cargo demand rose 7.7% as IndiGo targets higher revenue per passenger and prepares for A350s

IATA reported 7.7% year-on-year growth in global air cargo tonne-kilometers in September 2026, while Asia-Pacific airlines carried 30.4 million international passengers, ending five months of declines. Separately, IndiGo CEO Willie Walsh said the carrier plans to grow revenue per passenger while retaining its low-cost model and expects its first A350s in 2028.

ch-aviation

Somaliland bars airlines from accepting Somalia-issued IATA BSP tickets for departures

Somaliland’s Civil Aviation and Airports Development Ministry has barred airlines from accepting tickets issued through Somalia’s recently restored IATA Billing and Settlement Plan for flights departing the self-declared territory. The restriction also applies to tickets purchased before it took effect, creating uncertainty for affected passengers and airline ticketing operations.

FlightGlobal

IATA economist warns airlines face worsening pressure from high fuel costs and weaker purchasing power

IATA chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen says airline conditions could deteriorate if fuel prices remain elevated while consumers’ purchasing power declines. Carriers with stronger balance sheets are better positioned to withstand the pressure, but airlines have limited ability to offset higher costs by raising ticket prices.

FlightGlobal

IATA economist warns EU will “lose again” if it expands aviation emissions trading beyond the EEA

IATA Chief Economist Marie Owens Thomsen has criticized a European Commission proposal to extend the Emissions Trading System beyond the European Economic Area, calling it “self-empowered overreach.” She warned that the EU would “lose again” if it pursued the expansion.

Aviation24

Travel industry coalition urges EU to protect voluntary biometric journeys

ACI EUROPE, Amadeus, IATA, IDEMIA Public Security and SITA have formed a coalition urging EU policymakers to preserve voluntary, secure biometric travel services in the Digital Omnibus. The group says the framework should support smoother journeys while protecting passenger choice and privacy.

AeroTime

IATA WSOC 2026 puts human expertise, training and resilience at the center of aviation safety

IATA’s World Safety and Operations Conference will examine how airlines can strengthen resilience as crises multiply and aviation becomes more dependent on sophisticated IT systems. The 2026 agenda also addresses AI and automation, emphasizing the training and human expertise needed to maintain safe operations.

Air Data News

High activity

IATA: Global passenger demand edged up 0.2% in July as Gulf traffic recovered

Global passenger demand rose 0.2% year over year in July 2026, while capacity increased 0.3% and the load factor slipped 0.1 percentage points to 85.2%. International traffic declined 0.1%, but excluding the Middle East, demand grew 1.5%; air cargo demand increased 3.9% across all regions.

Runway Girl

IATA appoints Saadia Zahidi as Director General, effective Nov. 1

IATA’s Board has named World Economic Forum executive Saadia Zahidi as Director General, effective Nov. 1, succeeding Willie Walsh, who steps down July 31. Zahidi becomes IATA’s first woman to lead the organization.