IATA: Middle East airline pax volume forecast to fall 56% in 2020 due to coronavirus

IATA forecast (16-Jun-2020) demand in passenger volumes for the Middle East region will decline 56% year-on-year in 2020 for airlines and 47% for airports. Airlines in the region are expected to post a net loss of USD4.8 billion in 2020 as passenger revenues decline by USD24 billion. Airports in the region are estimated to post a total revenue loss of USD7 billion, down 52%. Job losses in aviation and related industries could reach 1.2 million and GDP supported by aviation could fall by USD66 billion. Before the COVID-19 crisis, aviation supported 2.4 million jobs in the region and generated USD130 billion in GDP. [more - original PR]