MUSCAT – Oman’s aviation sector felt the impact of the ongoing geopolitical conflict in the Middle East in April 2026, with international passenger demand declining and traffic through Muscat International Airport continuing to weaken.
According to the latest data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), international passenger demand in the Middle East plunged by 48.1 per cent year-on-year, while demand for carriers in the region fell by 46.6 per cent, making the conflict the primary driver behind the first global contraction in air travel demand since the post-pandemic recovery period.
The report indicated that international passenger demand declined by 5.3 per cent compared to April 2025, reflecting the broader challenges facing the region’s aviation industry amid conflict-related disruptions, rising fuel costs and reduced flight schedules.
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Passenger traffic at Muscat International Airport also showed signs of weakness. The airport handled 727,668 passengers in April, marginally lower than the 728,588 recorded in March and significantly below the 939,921 passengers registered in February this year.
During the first four months of 2026, total passenger numbers through Muscat International Airport fell by 7.6 per cent to 3.59 million passengers, compared with 3.88 million during the same period in 2025.
The IATA report stated that the global passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), declined by 3.4 per cent year-on-year in April. However, excluding Middle Eastern carriers, global demand would have increased by 1.2 per cent, underscoring the outsized impact of the regional crisis on the aviation industry.
“The 46.6 per cent fall in demand for carriers in the Middle East due to war in the region was so acute that it dragged overall demand down 3.4 per cent,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA.
“The situation for air transport remains highly volatile. The cost of jet fuel more than doubled in April, which is pushing airfares up. Forward schedule data is showing a reduced offering in the coming months, indicating that airlines are balancing high fuel costs and weaker demand,” he added.
Among global regions, Middle Eastern airlines recorded the sharpest decline, with passenger demand dropping 48.1 per cent and capacity falling 38.4 per cent year-on-year. Load factors in the region dropped to 70.1 per cent, down 13.1 percentage points from April 2025.
