$1.3 Billion in Airline Funds Blocked by Governments

 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that $1.3 billion in airline funds are blocked from repatriation by governments as of end April 2025. This is a significant amount, although it is an improvement of 25% compared with the $1.7 billion reported for October 2024. IATA urged governments to remove all barriers preventing airlines from the timely repatriation of their revenues from ticket sales and other activities in accordance with international agreements and treaty obligations. "Ensuring the timely repatriation of revenues is vital for airlines to cover dollar-denominated expenses and maintain their operations. Delays and denials violate bilateral agreements and increase exchange rate risks. Reliable access to revenues is critical for any business—particularly airlines which operate on very thin margins. Economies and jobs rely on international connectivity. Governments must realize that it is a challenge for airlines to maintain connectivity when revenue repatriation is denied or delayed,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. 10 countries are responsible for 80% of blocked funds 10 countries account for 80% of the total blocked funds, amounting to $1.03 billion.

 

Country Amount USD Million         Mozambique 205         XAF Zone* 191         Algeria 178         Lebanon 142         Bangladesh 92         Angola 84         Pakistan 83         Eritrea 76         Zimbabwe 68         Ethiopia 44

*XAF Zone (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon)

Country Highlights Pakistan and Bangladesh, previously in the top five blocked funds countries, have made notable progress in clearing their backlog to $83 million and $92 million, respectively (from $311 million and $196 million in October 2024, respectively).  Mozambique has climbed up to the top of blocked funds countries, withholding $205 million from airlines, compared with $127 million in October 2024. The Africa and Middle East (AME) region accounts for 85% of total blocked funds, at $1.1 billion as of end April 2025. The most significant improvement was noted in Bolivia, fully clearing its backlog that stood at $42 million at end October 2024. Tags: Willie Walsh, IATA