African airlines recorded higher air cargo demand in June despite a decline in available freight capacity, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Cargo demand by African carriers increased 4.7% year on year during the month while available cargo capacity declined 7.1%. The cargo load factor increased by 5.4 percentage points to 48.1%.
Globally, air cargo demand increased 8.5% year on year in June, outpacing a 4.4% increase in capacity, IATA said. International demand rose 9.4% compared with June 2025 while international capacity increased 5.6%.
“Air cargo demand continued to outpace capacity growth in June with overall volumes up 8.5% year on year globally and 9.4% for international operations,” IATA Director General Willie Walsh said.
Manufacturing activity, expanding global trade and demand for high-value technology products continue to support air cargo volumes, he added.
“However, the operating environment remains dynamic. The Middle East conflict has again demonstrated how geopolitical instability can disrupt air cargo markets. Add to that uncertainty about the scope of US tariffs and there is good reason for airlines to remain flexible as the situation develops,” Walsh said.
Demand exceeded capacity growth in every region except Latin America and the Caribbean during June, the data shows. Asia-Pacific carriers recorded the strongest demand growth at 14.3%, followed by North America at 8.3%, Europe at 5.8%, Africa at 4.7%, Latin America and the Caribbean at 3.5% while Middle Eastern carriers reported a 3.2% decline.
The Africa-Asia trade lane recorded its 12th consecutive month of growth in June although the rate of expansion slowed to 0.9% year on year, according to IATA. Europe-Asia remained the fastest-growing trade lane with cargo volumes increasing 13.4%, followed by Asia-North America up 10.3%.
IATA also said global manufacturing output remained in expansion territory during June, while world trade continued to grow, providing a supportive backdrop for air cargo demand. At the same time, new export orders remained below the 50-point threshold, reflecting ongoing uncertainty in the global trading environment.
