Airspace closures in Middle East will lead to costlier flight tickets, longer journeys: Analysts

Middle East airspace closures following regional conflict are causing widespread flight cancellations, longer journeys, and higher fares for global air travel. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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SINGAPORE – Travellers between Asia and Europe should brace themselves for longer journeys, as well as higher fares, owing to airspace closures across the Middle East since Feb 28, warned aviation analysts.

As airlines flying over the region take longer routes to avoid the conflict, fuel consumption also increases, resulting in cost pressures that directly translate into pricier flight tickets.

After the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate in the region, multiple airlines have announced widespread cancellations in what is currently the biggest disruption to global air transport since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Airlines that are based in the Middle East are expected to be the most impacted, said Ms Mabel Kwan, managing director at Alton Aviation Consultancy, adding that airlines overflying the region will also take a hit.

On the first day of the conflict alone, there were more than 1,800 flights scrapped by major Middle Eastern airlines, said Mr Mayur Patel, the regional commercial and industry affairs leader for the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa at aviation data consultancy OAG Aviation.