Headline
The headline of the article is incorrect- probably written by a sub-editor without a clue.
If you actually read the article, it says traffic growth declined to 3.6% That is, ME traffic grew, but the rate of growth was less than last year.
I suppose if they had gone with the headline "ME air traffic grows despite global turmoil" it wouldn't have fitted in with the herd-mentality pervading journalism today. It's almost enough to turn one into a conspiracy theorist...