Gulf Airlines Extend Flight Cancellations as Iran Targets Hubs

Article content

(Bloomberg) — Airlines across the Persian Gulf extended their suspension of operations as retaliatory strikes from Iran enter a second day, causing major disruptions at some of the world’s busiest airports.

Article content

Flight movements at Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, have been suspended indefinitely. Etihad Airways extended cancellations until 2 am on Monday, while Qatar Airways said all flights are still halted and that it would provide an update 9 am on Monday.  

Article content

Article content

Article content

The United Arab Emirates’ civil aviation authority said it tended to more than 20,000 affected passengers caught up in the disruption. Tens of thousands of people have been stranded in a region that functions as a global superconnector, linking any two points on the planet with one single stop.

Article content

Article content

Several airports in the Gulf were hit in the crossfire as Iran sent missiles and drones across the region in response to the initial attack on Saturday by Israeli and US aerial forces. 

Article content

Abu Dhabi Airport said that one person died and several were injured overnight after the emirate intercepted an Iranian drone. Dubai’s main airport, the world’s busiest international hub, reported damages to a concourse that injured four staff members. 

Article content

Bahrain’s main airport was targeted by a drone overnight that left damages. Kuwait’s airport was also struck by a drone and a number of employees sustained minor injuries. 

Article content

Though the Persian Gulf has become accustomed to disruptions as the skies over large swaths of the Middle East suffered restrictions several times during the past two years, an outright suspension for many hours on a massive scale is unprecedented. The situation highlights the stakes in the conflict that’s pitting Iran against Israel and the US and has destabilized the energy-rich region.

Article content

Article content

The extensive suspension of all air services will severely disrupt the finely-tuned choreography of global aircraft movements. Already, many planes and crew are out of position because of the airspace closure, meaning that it will likely take days to work through the backlog even once operations resume.

Article content

Elsewhere, India’s civil aviation authority said that local carriers canceled 410 flights on Saturday and 444 are expected to be canceled on Sunday. Airlines around the world, from Canada to Europe to Singapore, all said that they’ve suspended their services to the Middle East.

Article content

Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad have spent decades building up massive fleets that funnel passengers through their hubs, turning the Middle East into a vital artery for global air-traffic flows. The airlines have become a main driver for growth in the Gulf, as they shift from being transfer facilitators to bringing business and tourism into the region. 

Article content

—With assistance from Danny Lee and Anup Roy.

Article content