Air freight -- an important measure of world trade -- was affected by the unrest, as well as by factory shutdowns due to the Chinese New Year, which occurred in the first part of February.
Air cargo traffic was up just 2.3 percent in February after rising 8.7 percent in January, IATA said in its monthly traffic figures.
More Trouble Ahead
Rising oil prices, pushed up by concerns the unrest could disrupt oil supply from the Middle East, are also choking air traffic, adding to pressure on industry margins as capacity increases ahead of an expected rise in demand.
"With looser supply and demand conditions, it will be a challenge for airlines to recover the added cost of fuel," IATA Chief Executive Giovanni Bisignani said in a statement.
"Our pathetic 1.4 percent expected margin for 2011 is under considerable pressure."
IATA said for every dollar increase in the price of a barrel of oil, the industry needed to recover an extra $1.6 billion in additional costs.
The Japanese earthquake and ensuing concerns over a damaged nuclear power plant, combined with continuing unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, are expected to squeeze March air traffic further.
"As the unrest in Egypt and Tunisia spreads across the Middle East and North Africa, demand growth across the region is taking a step back," Bisignani said.
"The tragic earthquake and its aftermath in Japan will most certainly see a further dampening of demand from March."
IATA represents 240 airlines operating 94 percent of all international traffic. Domestic flights are excluded from its data. (Reuters)
