Travellers face longer flights as airlines have ‘zero pressure to save time’ to avoid war zones
- Should airspace closures spread in the Middle East, about 300 daily flights between Europe and South Asia and Southeast Asia would be most affected
- Each extra hour of flight added US$7,227 to the variable cost of a typical widebody journey in 2021, based on Federal Aviation Administration estimates
The Middle East has long been a global crossroads for air travel, with hundreds of aircraft bisecting the region every day on long-distance journeys connecting the US, Europe and Asia.
Plying those routes has become more challenging, with rising tensions forcing airlines to curtail services as a safety precaution. The war between Israel and Hamas, in a region already studded with hot zones, has added to the complications of flying between east and west.
That is after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine already added hours to many journeys by shutting down vast airspace to many transnational operators – including the Great Circle routes through Siberia, a popular gateway between the continents.
Israel’s El Al has stopped flying over much of the Arabian peninsula, citing safety concerns, swinging wide at a cost of several hours on flights to Bangkok. The carrier also postponed services to India, while cancelling seasonal routes to Tokyo.
Most other airlines stopped flying to Tel Aviv after the outbreak of hostilities. Deutsche Lufthansa AG has also quit Beirut for now, while Air France-KLM said it has seen a slight reduction in passenger demand for trips to the region.