African Airlines Record 8% Surge in International Passenger Demand in September

African Airlines Record 8% Surge in International Passenger Demand in September

African airlines recorded one of the strongest growth rates in international air travel in September 2026, with passenger demand rising by 8.0 percent year-on-year, according to the latest industry data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The growth placed African carriers second among global regions in international passenger demand expansion, trailing only Latin America, as the continent continued to record increased demand for air travel.

In response to the rising passenger traffic, airlines across Africa increased their available seat capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), by 8.8 percent compared with September 2025.

However, capacity expansion slightly exceeded demand growth, resulting in a 0.6 percentage-point decline in the passenger load factor, which measures how efficiently airlines fill available seats. The figure stood at 74.8 percent during the month.

Blessing Anolaba

Editorial & Creative Correspondent
A storyteller and journalist passionate about telling stories for policy change and impact.