The picture of the sky for international travelers is changing rapidly these days. For travelers who traveled the world through the luxurious airports of cities like Dubai and Doha for years, travel is no longer the same as before. The Iran war that broke out in the Gulf region has turned the entire equation of global aviation i.e. the global aviation industry upside down. The airlines which were once known for their excellent network and affordable tickets, have suddenly come on the backfoot.
The Middle East's major aviation companies such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad have always had a strong dominance on the routes connecting Europe, Africa and Asia. But this model has faltered due to closure of airspace and cancellation of flights due to war. In such a situation, western airlines like Lufthansa, British Airways and Air France-KLM have started aggressive efforts to fill this void. These companies have increasingly diverted their big planes to countries like India, Thailand and Singapore. To attract those travelers who are now looking for new routes. However, this change does not happen overnight, as opening new routes requires months of planning and crews.
At this time, as a traveler, it is natural that this question will arise in your mind that what effect will this turmoil going on in the sky have on your pocket. In fact, due to the war, there is a danger of a huge increase in the prices of jet fuel (aircraft fuel) in the global market. The biggest challenge before companies like Lufthansa and British Airways is how to handle this increasing expense. If these companies do not bear the burden of fuel themselves, it simply means that your air tickets may become very expensive in the future. American airlines may have increased their long-haul flights by 11 to 12 percent, but due to fear of fuel crisis, shares of many big European airlines have also fallen by 13 to 27 percent.
Due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Western airlines were already unable to use Russian airspace. Now flying has become more complicated due to closure of airspace of Iran and Iraq. Planes now have to pass through the narrow routes of Georgia and Central Asia. Amidst all this turmoil, Türkiye's 'Turkish Airlines' and Asian companies have taken advantage of the situation. India's Air India, Singapore Airlines and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific have significantly increased their flights towards Europe. According to Bloomberg data, Turkish Airlines' market share has increased during this crisis, while Qatar Airways has suffered significant losses.
'It is too early to think that the dominance of Gulf airlines has ended forever. Aviation experts believe that as soon as the situation becomes normal, these big companies of the Middle East will return to the market with double the aggression. To regain their lost traffic and market share, they can offer very attractive and cheap fares to the passengers. Western airlines only have a limited time to make profits. Airlines like Emirates, which has expanded its empire manifold in just a few decades, will not give up its ground easily.
