On February 28, the US launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran. With the first blow, the US-Israeli attack managed to take out Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the former Supreme Leader of Iran, but unlike the operation that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last month, Operation Epic Fury is going to be a long, drawn-out battle.
After the initial shock, Iran retaliated and has promised to inflict more damage on US assets and allies across the region, dragging the entire Middle East into the conflict.
Airports hit, flights grounded
One of the worst affected has been the travel and tourism industry, as flight operations have come to a standstill due to the closure of airspaces by various countries in response to the conflict.
This is terrible news for the region, which is home to the world's busiest airport and has become a global air transit hub connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa.
According to Flightradar24, between February 28 and March 3, more than 21,000 flights have been cancelled across major Middle East airports, with Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum (DWC) being the worst affected.
Five airports across four countries, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq, were directly hit by Iranian retaliatory strikes, causing damage and operational disruptions there. Out of this, Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport, and Hamad International Airport in Doha are important global travel hubs.
While exact numbers are not available, in the first four days of the conflict, the aviation hubs are estimated to have suffered revenue losses of over over $2.6 billion.
1.5 million passengers affected
Major Middle Eastern airlines, including Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Saudia, Kuwait Airways, and Jazeera Airways, have grounded nearly their entire fleet, with the exception of some regional operations.
The flight cancellations have also left an estimated 1.5 million passengers stranded across the Middle East, for whom the airlines have to provide free cancellations and reschedules, further adding to the costs they have to incur.
In the UAE, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced it would cover all accommodation, meals, and rebooking costs for over 20,000 travelers stranded in the country.
Worst crisis since COVID-19
Adding to the troubles of the airlines is the rise in fuel costs as a result of the ongoing war.
According to Al Jazeera, the industry experts are describing the current crisis as the "biggest shutdown" seen since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lost tourism revenue
Apart from the airports and airlines, the tourism and hospitality sector of the Middle East is also paying the price of the war in the form of lost revenue. Dubai is one of the most visited places in the world, and many more cities and countries across the region have been increasingly dependent on tourism. As the ongoing war drags on, the industry is expected to suffer tourism revenue loss in the billions of dollars.
Cargo, oil movement hit
In addition to this, the Middle East is a major cargo hub, which once again faces losses worth billions of dollars due to flight cancellations and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
It is also one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints, with approximately 20 percent of global oil and gas supply passing through the Strait annually.
Key Takeaways
- The US-Iran conflict has led to significant disruptions in the aviation industry, with thousands of flights cancelled.
- Tourism and hospitality sectors in the Middle East face billions in lost revenue due to the ongoing crisis.
- Major airlines have grounded their fleets, impacting millions of passengers and straining airline finances.
