Airline tickets are up to 70% more expensive. An industry in crisis

Airlines, including Wizz Air, are extending the suspension of connections with the Middle East due to the war until at least April. Since the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, rocket fire has continued in the region, and ground fighting has continued in Lebanon.

LOT Polish Airlines has suspended direct connections with Dubai until March 28, with Tel Aviv until April 18, and with Riyadh until March 24. LOT's flights to Beirut, which were scheduled to start on March 31, are suspended until April 30.

Wizz Air has suspended its flights to Israel until March 29, and its connections from continental Europe to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman and Jeddah until mid-September.

Lufthansa group members Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways have suspended services to Tel Aviv until April 2 and to Beirut, Dubai, Amman, Erbil and Abu Dhabi until March 28. Connections to Tehran have been suspended until April 30.

The French carrier Air France suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut until March 21, and to Dubai and Riyadh until March 20. Dutch KLM will not fly to Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai until March 28.

Qatar Airways announced that it will continue to operate on a limited basis from March 18 to 28, but the scheduled flights include: connections between the capital of Qatar, Doha, and Warsaw.

Turkey's transport ministry said national carrier Turkish Airlines has canceled scheduled flights to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Bahrain and Dammam in Saudi Arabia until March 19, and connections to Iran until March 20.

American carrier Delta has canceled flights from New York to Tel Aviv until March 31 and from Tel Aviv to New York until April 1.

The war between Israel and the US against Iran has had a negative impact on global air traffic. The Persian Gulf is one of the most important global communication hubs for commercial transport, but due to concerns about the safety of passengers and carriers, airlines have been canceling, postponing or redirecting flights since the end of February. Additionally, call prices have increased dramatically; rates for some have increased by up to 70%. According to industry organizations, the current number of air connections in the Middle East is about half of the usual level. (PAP)

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