The war in Ukraine provided Gulf states' airlines with a golden ticket to the skies. But the situation in the Middle East is changing things again – with more expensive flights and greater uncertainty.

– That means there are hardly any routes left, says aviation expert Jan Ohlsson.

The war in the Middle East put a stop to all flights to hubs like Dubai and Qatar, and the impact on air traffic continues. Images from the Flightradar24 site show how routes between Europe and Asia are being concentrated into a narrow corridor between Iran and Russia, as well as an area south of the Persian Gulf, through Saudi Arabia.

"If any of them were to suffer multiple robot attacks, making it too dangerous to fly, you would be in a really bad position with Asian traffic. Then there would be almost no routes left, says Jan Ohlsson.".

”Prices through the roof”

When the war in Ukraine began and sanctions halted much of the air traffic over Russia, Gulf carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways solidified their place in the industry. However, that dominance is now under threat.

– Can't they come home to their bases, prices are going through the roof, which we've seen quadruple. And we're not really seeing an end to this yet, says Jan Ohlsson.

European airlines can still fly directly through the narrow opening over Azerbaijan or, in some cases, over the North Pole. This entails longer and more expensive routes, but also a more dangerous travel path.

– It has an effect just to send a few robots there to intimidate, says Jan Ohlsson, referring to an Iranian drone that recently crashed at an Azerbaijani airport.

China is benefiting

While Gulf companies are grounded, the situation could benefit Chinese companies that can fly over Russia. Among others, China Eastern is set to establish itself at Arlanda.

– It will be a political issue but also a security issue, but many will choose that route because it is much shorter, says Jan Ohlsson.

Source: Expressen.se