The U.S.-Iran conflict is now in full force, with the United States hitting thousands of targets in Iran, and Iran hitting back at targets across the Middle East. This conflict has had an impact on people around the world, not just in the region affected.
Notably, the global energy market has been affected by the conflict, with oil prices being at the risk of going up sharply if the conflict escalates. Another impacted area has been travel, as carriers across the Persian Gulf extended blanket flight suspensions, causing major disruptions at some of the world’s busiest airports.
Emirates, the world’s biggest international airline, halted all operations to and from Dubai until 3 p.m. local time on Tuesday and warned of disruptions through Thursday. Etihad Airways extended cancellations until 2 p.m. Monday, while Qatar Airways said flights to and from Doha were suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
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Cathay Pacific Airways canceled some services to the Middle East through March 5, and India’s IndiGo’s flight suspensions extended through Tuesday. In Europe, shares of major airlines went down amid rising concerns about the conflict deterring travel. Deutsche Lufthansa AG dropped as much as 11%, British-Airways parent IAG SA fell as much as 13% and Air France-KLM went down 10% in early European trading. Meanwhile, Cathay fell as much as 7% at the open in Hong Kong, while Singapore Airlines Ltd. dropped as much as 7.5%. Qantas Airways Ltd. lost as much as 10%.
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 stuck in a region that functions as a global superconnector, linking any two points on the planet with one single stop.
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Meanwhile, airports in the Middle East were more directly affected. 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 U.S. aerial forces. Abu Dhabi Airport said that one person died and several were injured overnight after the interception of an Iranian drone.
Dubai’s main airport, the world’s busiest international hub, reported damage to a concourse that injured four staff members. Bahrain’s main airport was targeted by a drone overnight that left damage. Kuwait’s airport was also struck by a drone and a number of employees sustained minor injuries.
While there have been disruptions in air travel over the Persian Gulf before, a suspension on this scale is unprecedented. The situation highlights the far-reaching disruptions the U.S.-Iran conflict is having around the world.