Dear Colleagues,
As we are approaching the end of the Western summer season, I am pleased to share that Saadia Zahidi has been appointed by the IATA Board of Directors as Director General, effective 1 November 2026. Joining IATA from the World Economic Forum, where Saadia served as Managing Director and Member of the Managing Board, she brings extensive experience in global policy, economic development, and stakeholder engagement. We look forward to welcoming Saadia to the industry and introducing her to many of our members across the region in the months ahead.
Safety remains our highest priority, and I am pleased to highlight the launch of a new Joint Runway Safety Initiative by IATA, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO), and Airports Council International (ACI). The initiative aims to reduce the risk of runway incursions through enhanced safety reporting and data collection, stronger local runway safety teams, and the sharing of best practices across the aviation ecosystem. By strengthening collaboration among airlines, airports, air navigation service providers, and regulators, the initiative will help further improve safety outcomes.
Closer to home, the safe restoration of operations at Caracas Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS) following the devastating earthquakes remains a key industry priority. With Valencia Airport (VLN) currently serving as a temporary gateway and already experiencing capacity constraints, the reopening of CCS is increasingly important for maintaining connectivity to Venezuela.
Authorities have indicated that operations may resume by 24 August at approximately 30% of pre-earthquake capacity, following a full operational test. IATA has been invited to participate in this exercise and stands ready to provide technical support to ensure a safe and efficient reopening.
Turning to the latest market performance, global passenger demand measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) declined by 1.7% year-on-year in June. North American carriers recorded a 1.0% decline in demand, while capacity was down 0.7%, resulting in a load factor of 86.9%. In contrast, Latin American airlines continued to demonstrate resilience, posting a 3.5% increase in passenger demand, although capacity growth of 6.3% led to a lower load factor of 81.6%.
Cargo markets continued to provide encouraging signals as global air cargo demand grew by 8.5% year-on-year in June, with all regions recording positive growth. North American carriers led performance with a 13.1% increase in demand, while Latin American and Caribbean airlines recorded a 3.5% increase, supported by continued growth in regional trade flows and international commerce.
As always, please find below the latest IATA activities and developments across the Americas. Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Peter Cerdá
IATA’s Regional Vice President, The Americas
Americas Focus: Archive
2026: 01-2026 (pdf) 02-2026 (pdf) 03-2026 (pdf) 04-2026 (pdf) 05-2026 (pdf) 06-2026 (pdf)
2025: 01-2025 (pdf) 02-2025 (pdf) 03-2025 (pdf) 04-2025 (pdf) 05-2025 (pdf) 06-2025 (pdf) 07-2025 (pdf) 07-2025 Spanish (pdf) 08-2025 (pdf) 08-2025 Spanish (pdf) 09-2025 (pdf) 09-2025 Spanish (pdf) 10-2025 (pdf) 10-2025 Spanish (pdf) 11-2025 (pdf) 11-2025 spanish (pdf)
2024: 01-2024 (pdf) 02-2024 (pdf) 03-2024 (pdf) 04-2024 (pdf) 05-2024 (pdf) 06-2024 (pdf) 07-2024 (pdf) 08-2024 (pdf) 09-2024 (pdf)
2023: 01-2023 (pdf) 02-2023 (pdf) 03-2023 (pdf) 04-2023 (pdf) 05-2023 (pdf) 06-2023 (pdf) 07-2023 (pdf) 08-2023 (pdf)
2022: 01-2022 (pdf) 02-2022 (pdf) 03-22 (pdf) 04-22 (pdf) 05-22 (pdf) 06-22 (pdf)
2021: 01-2021 (pdf) 02-2021 (pdf) 03-2021 (pdf) 04-2021 (pdf) 05-2021 (pdf) 06-2021 (pdf) 07-2021 (pdf)
2020: 01-2020 (pdf) 02-2020 (pdf) 03-2020 (pdf)
2019: Jan 2019 (pdf) Feb 2019 (pdf) May 2019 (pdf) #04 Version (pdf) #05 Version (pdf) #06 Version (pdf)
2018: Jan 2018 (pdf) Feb 2018 (pdf) Mar 2018 (pdf) Apr 2018 (pdf) May 2018 (pdf) Jun 2018 (pdf)
Jul 2018 (pdf) Aug-Sep 2018 (pdf) Oct-Nov 2018 (pdf) Summary 2018 (pdf)
2017: Q4 2017 (pdf) Q3 2017 (pdf) Q2 2017 (pdf) Q1 2017 (pdf)