The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is disrupting air travel, grounding flights and driving up jet fuel prices, potentially reshaping the aviation industry’s reliance on Gulf hubs. Dubai International Airport (DBX), the world’s busiest for international travel, and other major airports in the region are experiencing disruptions as the conflict continues.
Middle East Conflict Disrupts Air Travel
Dubai International Airport handled more than 92 million passengers in 2024. Under normal circumstances, Gulf airports – including those in Abu Dhabi and Doha – handle over 3,000 flights daily, primarily operated by Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways.
Since the start of the conflict, aircraft have been grounded at these hubs, stranding hundreds of thousands of passengers. Air traffic in the region remains heavily contested, and the conflict has also impacted fuel supplies.
Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has choked off supplies from Gulf oil refineries. The region typically provides about half of Europe’s jet fuel imports, and fears of scarcity have caused prices to double. Some carriers have already begun reducing flights in response to the rising costs.
According to analysts at Cirium, more than 30,000 services to the Middle East have been cancelled since the conflict began. Experts warn that a prolonged conflict could significantly damage the “Gulf model” of aviation, which has been credited with transforming and lowering the cost of long-distance travel.
If the conflict continues, passengers may seek alternative routes, which will likely lead to increased prices.
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