Business

Middle Eastern carriers see growth rebound in July

Published: 06:08 AM,Aug 31,2025 | EDITED : 10:08 AM,Aug 31,2025

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Middle Eastern carriers saw a 5.3 % year-on-year increase in demand, while capacity rose by 5.6% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.1% as growth rebounded after the disruptions caused by the military conflicts in June.  

As per the International Air Transport Association (IATA) data for July 2025, total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 4% compared to July 2024.
Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 4.4% year-on-year.
The July load factor was 85.5% (-0.4 ppt compared to July 2024).   International demand rose 5.3% compared to July 2024.
Capacity was up 5.8% year-on-year, and the load factor was 85.6% (-0.4 ppt compared to July 2024).•    
“It’s been a good northern summer season for airlines. Momentum has grown over the peak season, with July demand reaching 4% growth. That trend appears across all regions and is particularly evident for international travel, which strengthened from 3.9% growth in June to 5.3% in July. Moreover, with flight volumes showing a 2% year-on-year increase for September after five months of decelerating growth, airlines are positioned to take advantage of this market momentum into the coming months,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

The Muscat International Airport also saw a jump in the number of transit passengers in the first seven months of 2025.

According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the number of transit passengers using Oman's main airport increased by 340.2 percent to 64,025 by the end of

July 2025 saw 14,543, compared to 14,543 during the same period last year.

Overall, the Muscat International Airport handled 6,775,367 passengers this year compared to

6,947,800 during the same period last year.

The number of domestic passengers using the airport also increased from 621,955 in 2024
 to 677,837 in 2025. Overall, the airport handled 7,453,204 passengers in the first seven months of 2025.