Gulf airlines are back in business. The West Asia is home to some of the world’s biggest carriers, whose networks have been upended by the Iran conflict, with Iranian missile and drone attacks at times shutting airports in recent months and redrawing traffic routes across the Gulf.
Flightradar24.com data shows that the overall number of flights by major Gulf airlines has now returned to some 82% of the level on February 27, the day before the war started. Gulf Air and Kuwait Airways have topped 100% of that level in recent days.
Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad – the biggest three – are above or near 90% of their pre-war level. Etihad and Qatar Airways were as low as 40-50% just a month ago. Emirates, which has spent big to keep flights going, has been higher for longer.
After the U.S. and Iran signed an interim agreement on Wednesday to end the near four-month conflict, and are expected to discuss implementing the ceasefire deal, the outlook for Gulf airlines is potentially looking much brighter.
The end of hostilities would lead to a reopening of the region’s airspace allowing regional carriers to completely resume their operations, said James Halstead, managing partner at Aviation Strategy.
“If it gets back to normal, I just see them acting as normal, coming back in full force,” Mr. Halstead said. – Reuters
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