Airlines settle in for more cuts and consolidation as fuel price soars again

Airlines have adapted routes to avoid conflict zones
Eurocontrol reported 59pc fewer flights to and from the Middle East to Europe
An additional 206,000 km were flown daily due to reroutings
Fuel prices and longer flights concern passengers
Airlines use risk management and diplomatic channels

Airlines have adapted routes and plans to avoid conflict zones, but the real concern for passengers will be higher fuel prices and longer flights. The ripple effects of numerous ongoing conflicts are being felt and will continue to unfold. The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for over four years, while the conflict between the US and Iran has had far-reaching consequences in trade, supply and transport.

In March, flights to and from the Middle East were cancelled and diverted after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. A month after the conflict escalated in the Middle East and Gulf region, Eurocontrol reported that there were 59pc fewer flights to and from the Middle East to Europe, a drop of 1,200 from the usual 2,000 daily flights. From that, 1,150 flights were rerouted to avoid conflict areas and closed airspaces, meaning an additional 206,000 km were flown because of these reroutings every day. Professor Marina Efthymiou, professor of Aviation Management at Dublin City University’s Business School, explained that there are both direct and indirect effects. The direct effects are on airlines and the routes they take, while the indirect effects are higher fuel and energy costs.

Fahad ibne Masood, lecturer in transport and aviation at the School of Transport & Civil Engineering at TU Dublin, stated that airlines are well prepared for such scenarios, with the key term being risk management. For passengers, the risk management is simple as they can rebook, but for airlines, it is a complex affair. Larger airlines, especially legacy or full-cost carriers, may also have state backing, giving them enough clout to influence policy. They would use diplomatic channels to ensure their flights continue without hindrance.

Fahad ibne Masood shared “Passengers should not be feeling anxious about these conflicts. Airlines are doing their due diligence because yes, the life of a person or passenger is important, but the life of the airline is also there.”