KUALA LUMPUR: Asia-Pacific air passenger demand rose 1.4% year-on-year in August 2026, bucking a decline in global air traffic, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Capacity in the region increased 1.3%, while the passenger load factor edged up 0.1 percentage point to 85.9%.

In a statement, IATA said international demand among Asia-Pacific airlines, however, slipped 0.1%, with capacity down 0.9%.

Traffic on routes within Asia fell 2.0% and capacity declined for the fourth month in a row. By contrast, traffic on the Asia-North America corridor grew by 2.5%.

Globally, passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), fell 0.8% year-on-year, while capacity increased 0.3%. The passenger load factor declined 0.9 percentage point to 85.1%.

Excluding the Middle East carriers, demand for air travel grew by 0.6% year-on-year in August, half the pace seen in July.

International RPK fell 0.9% year-on-year, with capacity unchanged. However, excluding the Middle East carriers, total demand rose 1.3% on the same basis.

IATA senior vice-president for sustainability and chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen said the global contraction reflected weakness in the Middle East, where carriers recorded a 14.6% decline in total passenger demand.

“Excluding the Middle East carriers, demand for air travel grew by 0.6% year-on-year in August, half the pace seen in July,” she said.

Elsewhere, total passenger demand rose 5.3% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 4.4% in Africa and 0.7% in Europe. North American demand fell 2.2%.

IATA said domestic traffic declined in Japan and the United States, while India recorded a 7.5% contraction. Domestic travel in China strengthened on summer travel demand.

Looking ahead, IATA said airline schedules for October showed available seats increasing 2.0%, although higher energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty could weigh on travel demand.