The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on governments worldwide to honor their international obligations and immediately lift restrictions preventing airlines from repatriating $1.2 billion in earned revenues from ticket sales, cargo, and other activities.
As of the end of October 2025, a total of USD 1.2 billion in airline funds remains blocked by governments, preventing airlines from accessing revenues critical for maintaining operations and air connectivity. While this represents a marginal $100 million improvement since the last report in April 2025, the overall situation remains critical.
A staggering 93% of the total blocked funds, amounting to $1.12 billion, is trapped within the Africa and Middle East (AME) region.
“Airlines need reliable access to their revenues in U.S. dollars to keep operations running, pay their bills, and maintain vital air connectivity,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “Governments have committed to unfettered repatriation of funds in bilateral agreements. With low margins and significant dollar-denominated costs, airlines depend on governments fulfilling that commitment. It is also in the interest of governments to foster the economic catalyst that airlines provide by connecting their economies globally. That’s why we urge governments to facilitate the efficient repatriation of airline funds and prioritize this in foreign exchange allocations, even when currency is in short supply.”
Ten countries across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia are responsible for 89% of the total blocked funds, totaling USD 1.08 billion.
| Country | Amount (USD Million) |
| Algeria | 307 |
| XAF Zone* | 179 |
| Lebanon | 138 |
| Mozambique | 91 |
| Angola | 81 |
| Eritrea | 78 |
| Zimbabwe | 67 |
| Ethiopia | 54 |
| Pakistan | 54 |
| Bangladesh | 32 |
*XAF Zone includes Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon.
For the first time, Algeria sits at the top of the list, reporting significant increases due to a new, burdensome approval requirement by the Ministry of Trade. IATA urges the Algerian government to remove unnecessary processes and documentation requirements for airlines.
Airlines operating in the XAF Zone continue to face repatriation challenges, despite a slight decrease in blocked funds since April 2025. IATA calls on the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC) to streamline the internal three-step validation process and improve processing times to clear the backlog.
“Political and economic instability are key drivers of currency restrictions across Africa and the Middle East, resulting in large sums of blocked funds,” Walsh added. “We recognize that allocation of foreign exchange is a difficult policy decision, but the long-term benefits for the economy and jobs that air connectivity provides far outweigh short-term financial relief.”
Restrictions on repatriation include burdensome or inconsistent procedures for approval, long delays, or outright shortages of foreign exchange. IATA insists that restrictions on currency repatriation are a violation of bilateral air service agreements and treaty obligations and hinder the ability of airlines to provide vital air links that support trade, tourism, and economic growth.
IATA calls on all governments to lift all restrictions on currency repatriation.
