• Passenger traffic fell 5% in 2025, but load factors and unit performance improved
• Capacity was reduced faster than traffic, lifting seat occupancy to 76.1%
• Transport revenue held steady at 1.6 billion dinars despite a smaller offer

Tunisian national carrier Tunisair carried 2.49 million passengers in 2025, down 5% from a year earlier. Beyond the decline in traffic, data published by the Tunis Stock Exchange point to an improvement in operational performance, supported by higher aircraft load factors and stable revenue. The results are in line with the airline’s restructuring process, as it seeks to recover from several years of difficulties, particularly related to governance.

A reduced offer better aligned with demand

In 2025, Tunisair cut available seat-kilometers by 8%, a sharper contraction than the fall in passenger traffic. The move reflects a strategy to rationalize capacity, typically through lower frequencies or adjustments on certain routes. As a result, the load factor improved by three points to 76.1%, from 73.1% in 2024. Aircraft therefore operated with a higher share of occupied seats, highlighting better optimization in a sector characterized by high fixed costs.

The overall load factor, which includes passengers and cargo, rose from 63.9% to 66.3%, an increase of 2.4 points. This indicator points to more efficient use of available capacity and suggests an improvement in operational productivity. Tunisair also transported 5,500 tons of freight and postal cargo in 2025, up 8% year on year.

Despite lower traffic and reduced capacity, transport revenue remained stable at 1.6 billion dinars, or about $554 million, in 2025. Maintaining revenue levels despite a smaller offer suggests an improvement in unit performance. Overall, the 2025 indicators point to a shift toward operational balance as the carrier continues its restructuring efforts in an environment marked by competitive pressure and financial constraints.

Henoc Dossa