Western Airlines Lose Almost Half of World's Airspace as War with Iran Develops

The conflict in the Middle East has severely disrupted air travel between Asia, Australia, and Europe, creating a global aviation bottleneck and leaving thousands of passengers stranded far from home.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Adrian Pingstone Arpingstone, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

An airplane in the sky

Since the escalation began, more than 23,000 flights have been canceled. Many European travelers cannot return home, while others attempt long detours through the United States, effectively flying around the globe to reach their destinations.

Air Routes Collapse as Middle East Airspace Closes

The airspace between Asia and Europe has become severely congested as airlines scramble to find alternative routes. Ticket prices continue to rise almost daily.

Flights operated by Chinese carriers remain limited, while connections through the Middle East-once a crucial hub linking continents-have largely been canceled.

Before the crisis, more than a thousand flights passed through airports in the region every day, forming the main bridge between Asia, Australia, and Europe. That bridge has now effectively collapsed.

Millions of passengers now search for alternative routes. The Australian travel company Flight Central Travel reports that calls from customers have increased by 75 percent, with people contacting offices and hotlines around the clock.

Airlines Forced to Fly Thousands of Extra Kilometers

Some airlines now operate northern routes through the Caucasus and Afghanistan, while others attempt southern detours via Egypt. These alternatives add thousands of extra kilometers to flights.

Longer routes require significantly more fuel, force crews to work extended hours, and accelerate aircraft wear. Airlines have already started adding these costs to ticket prices.

Subhas Menon, head of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, said that much of the Middle East airspace remains closed and airlines are suffering heavy losses.

Flights to destinations such as Europe now require enormous operational expenses, reducing profits and weakening connections between major regions.

Ticket Prices Surge as Seats Disappear

The situation appears clearly on booking platforms. According to Reuters, as of March 3, tickets from Asian cities to London have nearly disappeared.

Cathay Pacific has sold out all economy-class seats from Hong Kong to London until March 11. The cheapest one-way ticket costs about $2,700-roughly four times the usual price.

Australian carrier Qantas reported that flights from Sydney to London via Perth or Singapore remain fully booked until March 17. The only remaining tickets cost up to $2,200. The airline is trying to launch alternative routes through Los Angeles or Johannesburg, but these options remain complex and expensive.

In Thailand, the situation looks similar. Thai Airways has completely sold out flights from Bangkok to Europe, including routes to London, for the entire week ahead. One ticket available for March 15 exceeded $2,265.

Taiwan's EVA Airways also confirmed that demand for flights to Europe has surged dramatically.

Russian Airspace Closure Adds More Pressure

Chinese airlines still operate limited flights to Europe, but economy seats have nearly disappeared. While round-trip tickets from Beijing to London usually cost less than $1,500, on March 4 Air China offered only business-class seats priced at $7,300 one way.

Some analysts say the situation could ease if airlines regained access to Russian airspace. However, sanctions prevent European carriers from using these routes.

In 2022, Europe and the United States closed their airports to Russian airlines, prompting Russia to respond by banning Western carriers from its airspace.

Airlines had already redesigned their routes once after those restrictions. Now they must restructure them again.

Aviation Industry Faces Billions in Losses

Flight times on many routes have increased by 30 to 90 minutes. Meanwhile, fuel prices have jumped by 13 percent, and fuel already accounts for up to 40 percent of airline operating costs.

Industry losses could exceed $10 billion if airports across the Middle East do not resume normal operations soon.

Shares of major carriers including Lufthansa, Air France, and American Airlines have already fallen.

The disruption affects not only passenger travel but also global logistics. Around 18 percent of air cargo shipments have disappeared from international routes, adding further pressure on supply chains and increasing transportation costs worldwide.