Western airlines are redeploying aircraft to Asia and North America to capture market share from Middle Eastern competitors as the war in Iran disrupts regional flight paths and grounds regional fleets. These airlines redirected aircraft to destinations including India, Thailand, and Singapore last month to attract passengers seeking alternative routes. Analysis by Bloomberg of Flightradar24 data across 21 major airlines shows that United Airlines and Delta Air Lines increased their long-haul wide-body capacity by 11% and 12%, respectively. “Gulf airlines will not abandon their ambitions to be global hubs,” said Rob Walker, an aviation analyst at consultancy ICF. “European airlines may only have a short window to benefit from increased demand and higher prices,” Evans said

Source: Daily News Egypt April 04, 2026 17:33 UTC