Despite the sharp uptick in US-Iran military exchanges this week, Emirates, Etihad and other Gulf airlines are operating near-normal schedules through Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Data from FlightAware showed only one percent of departures at DXB were cancelled on 13 July, a rate comparable with London Heathrow. Industry experts note that the latest missile activity has targeted military rather than civilian infrastructure, allowing the UAE’s National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority to keep commercial airspace open. Still, several foreign carriers—British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific among them—are maintaining earlier suspensions on Gulf routes, leaving the region dependent on local capacity. For mobility managers the situation represents a moving target: while regional airlines continue to sell seats, international insurance providers are revisiting premium surcharges and travellers may face indirect cost increases. Organisations should also track employees routing via third-country hubs; KLM’s extended ban on Amsterdam–Dubai, for example, has redirected European traffic onto Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways, tightening availability in peak summer. The UAE’s airports handled more than 200,000 passengers per day in early July and authorities insist contingency plans are in place should the security outlook deteriorate. Multinational employers are advised to coordinate with their travel risk providers and remind staff to enrol in airline alert systems for real-time updates.
Source: The National
