Global air travel demand increased 7.9% in the first six months of June, the highest growth rate for the period in 12 years, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Despite being the slowest with Middle Eastern airlines, international air travel demand rose across all global regions; however, the laptop and travel bans implemented in the US particularly weakened the demand for travel to the region from the Middle East.

ACI Europe, a European airport trade body, released its own, similar air traffic report and reported passenger traffic at Europe’s airports grew by an average of 9%. Markets in and outside of the EU posted similar growth levels, with Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and Ukraine all displaying growth of 10% or more.