Extensive airspace closures mean carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways QCSC have essentially ground to a halt, creating opportunities for rivals that can fly non-stop between Europe and Asia. Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha are key stopover points for long-haul travel. The major Middle Eastern carriers aren’t publicly listed but British Airways’ owner IAG SA is down almost 9% this week, Deutsche Lufthansa AG fell 7.7% and Air France-KLM tumbled 15%. Mainland Chinese carriers may also be well positioned to increase passenger numbers in the absence of the Middle Eastern airlines. Aiden McAleenan, a 28-year-old registered nurse, had his plans to relocate to Melbourne from the UK thrown into disarray when Qatar Airways cancelled his flight on March 3.

Source: The Edge Markets March 05, 2026 05:02 UTC