Kuwait Airways has rejected reports of a full suspension of air cargo operations, according to the Arab Times. The national carrier sent an official circular to agents notifying them of the pause in accepting most cargo shipments delivered by agents from September 9 to September 25 to tackle a backlog and operational congestion at its cargo facility. The airline emphasized that this step allows time to process accumulated consignments before resuming normal acceptance afterward.
Exceptions to the restriction cover special categories of shipments, pure express mail and road feeder service consignments, the carrier’s announcement indicated. These items will keep being accepted, processed and transported for export without changes during the period. Arab Times reported that the circular specifically instructed agents not to deliver standard shipments to the cargo building in the interim.
Global air cargo demand rose 3.4 percent in 2025 to record levels when measured in cargo tonne-kilometers, IATA data shows. The Middle East region recorded more modest growth of 0.3 percent for the full year, constrained by geopolitical disruptions that prompted airspace closures and temporary suspensions among several carriers earlier in 2026. Kuwait Airways resumed full scheduled operations in June 2026 after a brief disruption, local reports noted.
The Kuwait air cargo market was valued at $1.8 billion with projected expansion supported by e-commerce growth and logistics infrastructure investments, a Ken Research assessment found. Government spending of approximately $2.5 billion targets enhancements at Kuwait International Airport, including cargo facilities expected to increase handling capacity by 35 percent. These upgrades align with efforts to boost the country’s non-oil exports toward a target of $6 billion.
Kuwait Airways reduced its annual losses by 13.6 percent in 2025 as revenues rose 5 percent to 430.2 million Kuwaiti dinars and its market share at the national airport reached 45 percent, company figures show. Cargo operations remain an important element of the airline’s activities amid regional market conditions that included earlier airspace restrictions. The current temporary measure follows similar operational adjustments seen across the industry in response to congestion or external factors.
The airline’s circular stressed that the pause is limited and that full acceptance of agent deliveries will resume after September 25 once the backlog clears. Stakeholders were directed to adjust their logistics planning during this window to minimize impacts on supply chains. IATA has projected global air cargo growth to moderate to 2.4 percent in 2026 following the strong performance recorded the prior year.
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