The war in the Middle East has exposed Europe's reliance on Gulf companies for flights to Asia, Europe's airlines said on Thursday.Â
Since breaking out on February 28, the US-Israeli war on Iran has severely disrupted air traffic above the Gulf countries, which have carved out a niche as a stopover for long-haul flights between the United States, Europe, Asia and Oceania.Â
kAmx? E96 H2<6 @7 %69C2?VD C6E2=:2E@CJ DEC:<6D 24C@DD E96 C68:@?[ E6?D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 7=:89ED 92G6 366? 42?46==65[ 27764E:?8 >:==:@?D @7 A2DD6?86CD]k^Am
kAm|2?J tFC@A62? EC2G6==6CD 92G6 7@F?5 E96>D6=G6D DEC2?565 :? pD:2[ F?23=6 E@ A2DD E9C@F89 E96 <6J 9F3D @7 sF32:[ s@92 2?5 p3F s923:] %9@D6 E9C66 2:CA@CED 2C6 E96 C6DA64E:G6 9625BF2CE6CD @7 t>:C2E6D[ "2E2C p:CH2JD 2?5 tE:925[ 2== @7 H9:49 92G6 364@>6 3:8\9:EE6CD :? E96 =@?8\5:DE2?46 7=:89ED >2C<6E]Â k^Am
kAmQ(:E9 e__ 26C@A=2?6D @? E96 8C@F?5 2?5 `__ @7 E96> E92E ?@C>2==J H6C6 8@:?8 :? 2?5 @FE @7 tFC@A6[ :E :D 2 3:E @7 2 H2<6\FA 42== E@ D9@H 9@H 56A6?56?E E96 tFC@A62? 4@?E:?6?E :D @? vF=7 42CC:6CD[Q E96 rt~ @7 p:C uC2?46\z{|[ q6?;2>:? $>:E9[ E@=5 2 AC6DD 4@?76C6?46 @7 E96 p:C=:?6D 7@C tFC@A6 WpctX 2DD@4:2E:@? @? %9FCD52J :? qCFDD6=D]k^Am
k9am\ ~A6? D<:6D 4=@D:?8 \k^9am
kAm$:?46 E96 DE2CE @7 E96 4@?7=:4E[ E96 uC2?4@\sFE49 8C@FA[ :ED v6C>2? 4@>A6E:E@C {F7E92?D2 2?5 pD:2? 2:C=:?6D D6CG:?8 =@?8\5:DE2?46 C@FE6D 92G6 2== 2??@F?465 2? :?4C62D6 :? 5:C64E tFC@A6\pD:2 7=:89ED]k^Am
kAmQ%9:D :D 2? 6I2>A=6 @7 H92E H6 H@F=5 =:<6 E@ 36 5@:?8[ E@ 36 23=6 E@ 5@ E9:D J62C\C@F?5[ :CC6DA64E:G6 @7 E96 4C:D:D E92E :D 8@:?8 @?[Q $>:E9 25565]k^Am
kAmpct[ H9:49 2=D@ 4@F?ED {F7E92?D2[ qC:E:D9 p:CH2JD\A2C6?E xpv[ #J2?2:C 2?5 62DJy6E 2>@?8 :ED >6>36CD[ 925 366? =@F5=J 4C:E:42= @7 E96 tFC@A62? &?:@?VD @A6? D<:6D 562= H:E9 "2E2C[ :? 7@C46 D:?46 a_a`]Â k^Am
kAmpct >2?28:?8 5:C64E@C ~FC2?:2 v6@C8@FED2<@F 2C8F65 E92E E96 4FCC6?E 4C:D:D AC6D6?E65 Q2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 7:I E9:?8D :? tFC@A6 2?5 E@ C64@?D:56C 9@H H6 >2?286 2G:2E:@? 2?5 9@H H6 >2?286 2:C=:?6D 2?5 9@H H6VG6 >2?2865 E@ AFE @FCD6=G6D 2E E96 324< 7@@E 96C6 :? tFC@A6Q]k^Am
kAm{F7E92?D2 rt~ r2CDE6? $A@9C A@:?E65 E@ E96 6I2>A=6 @7 tFC@A6 ?@H 36:?8 Q4FE @77Q 7C@> E96 !9:=:AA:?6D 2D E96 4@?E:?6?EVD 2:C=:?6D 925 A2DD65 @77 E96 C@FE6 E@ E96 ?@H\8C@F?565 vF=7 2:C=:?6D]Â k^Am
kAmQ(6 FD65 E@ 7=J E@ |2?:=2] ~FC 7C:6?5D FD65 E@ 7=J E@ |2?:=2[Q $A@9C D2:5[ C676CC:?8 E@ {F7E92?D2VD tFC@A62? C:G2=D]Â k^Am
kAmQ$@ x E9:?< A6@A=6 2C6 C62=:D:?8 H6 2C6 =@D:?8 D@G6C6:8?EJ W3JX 56A6?5:?8 @? @E96CD]Qk^Am
kAmEB^D3<^J25k^Am
