Another hundred flights were cancelled today, extending the chaos in global air traffic and making things even worse for passengers. It is the worst blow to aviation since the Covid-19 pandemic, writes The Guardian.
Thousands of flights cancelled
Major airports in the Middle East, including Dubai, the world's busiest international hub, were closed for the third day in a row, Danas reports.
Nearly 2,800 flights were canceled on Saturday, according to flight tracking platform FlightAware, and 3,156 on Sunday.
As of early Monday morning, 1,239 flights had been canceled.
Emirates from Dubai, Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways from Doha have cancelled hundreds of flights, and other carriers, including Air India, have also suspended services in the region.
"There is no bright spot for passengers," he said. Henri Hartevelt aerospace industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group.
"They should be prepared for delays or cancellations over the next few days as the attacks unfold and, hopefully, end," he said.
Global consequences of conflict
According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar remained largely empty today.
The consequences are being felt far beyond the Middle East, with travelers stranded in destinations from Bali to Frankfurt.
The conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where Israel carried out airstrikes after Hezbollah fired rockets, closing much of the region's airspace. An added problem is that crews and pilots are now scattered around the world, making it difficult to resume flights once airspace reopens.
While most travelers struggle with access to information, the ultra-rich are finding an alternative.
"Saudi Arabia is currently the only real option for people who want to leave the region," he told Semafor. Amir Simple CEO of private jet brokerage Vimana Private, estimating that the cost of a private jet flight from Riyadh to Europe could reach up to $350,000.
Economic blow
Shares in major airlines fell as investors worried about the fallout from the war. Japan Airlines shares fell 5.6 percent, Singapore Airlines 4.5 percent, Qantas 5.4 percent and Cathay Pacific 2.9 percent. Carriers are also facing higher fuel prices after Brent crude oil jumped as much as 13 percent to $80 a barrel, with analysts predicting it could hit $100.
"The main impact on everything will be through oil prices, which will obviously rise sharply," said the aviation consultant Bertrand GrabovskiThe Gulf is also a key hub for air cargo, adding further strain to trade routes already affected by disruptions at sea.
Pressure on alternative corridors
Analysts say the extended closure of the skies and all three major transit hubs in the Gulf is unprecedented.
The remaining flights are being diverted to avoid the closed airspace.
Routes over Iran and Iraq have become more important since the war in Ukraine forced airlines to avoid Russian and Ukrainian airspace.
The closure of Middle Eastern airspace is now pushing airlines into even narrower corridors, and conflicts between Pakistan and Afghanistan are creating additional risk, he noted. Ian Pecenik Director of Communications at Flightradar24.
“Long-term disruptions are the biggest concern for commercial aviation,” he said.
