Within hours of Iran's retaliatory attacks on US bases in the Persian Gulf, civilian air traffic was brought to an unprecedented halt. For tens of thousands of travelers at global hubs in Dubai, Doha and elsewhere in the Persian Gulf, anxiety about boarding a plane quickly turned into chaos as authorities closed the airspace over some of the most popular routes.
As a result, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and other airlines suspended all operations.
At Dubai International Airport, arrivals and departures boards in the terminals initially showed significant delays, which quickly escalated to a complete suspension of flights, representing a disruption on a scale not seen in decades.
Emirates Airlines has long prided itself on its regular operations, even in times of crisis – be it a pandemic or regional conflicts. This time, however, cutting off all connections was the only possible response.
Emirates canceled all flights until 3 a.m. on Sunday, Qatar Airways suspended operations until midnight and Etihad Airways extended its flight suspension even further until Sunday afternoon.
The disruptions at airports in the region were not limited to cancellations. Kuwait's Civil Aviation Authority said a drone struck the country's airport, causing several minor injuries and “limited” damage to the passenger building.
The region functions as a global hub, many international routes around the world involve stopovers at airports such as Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi.
As a result, carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad have created huge fleets that funnel passengers through their hubs, turning the Middle East into a vital artery of global air traffic.
Dubai is the world's busiest international airport, with over 2,000 flights daily from over 100 airlines operating from the hub. Emirates is the flagship operator with a fleet of Boeing Co. long-haul aircraft. and Airbus SE, which fly to over 140 destinations around the world.
Source: Bloomberg
