DUBAI: Six months after the US-Iran war started, Gulf aviation is showing signs of a recovery with airlines bringing back their schedules and airports continuing long-term plans to expand, even though the conflict has caused problems.
Dubai is expected to stay close to its passenger numbers before the war if travel demand keeps getting better. There are no big new problems. Aviation experts say the traffic that was hit hard at the start is also coming back.
The recovery is not the same in every part of the region.
Low-cost airlines are coming back faster
Air Arabia and flydubai have brought back 90 per cent of their 2025 levels, according to aviation expert Virendra Jain. Their direct flight models have helped them take advantage of the return of local and Gulf travel.
Full-service airlines have had a tough time recovering. Their capacity is still 20 to 25 per cent below 2025 levels, and experts do not expect all the lost capacity to return before the end of this year.
The conflict has also made travelling more expensive for passengers. Ticket prices went up by 35 to 45 per cent during the months of the crisis. Even though prices have started to return to normal, they are still higher than before the war.
Airlines deal with costs
Gulf airlines have also faced higher fuel costs, longer flight times, crew expenses and other problems. Experts estimate that UAE airlines lost hundreds of millions of dollars in costs. With the financial pressure, strong money reserves and the ability to change operations have helped big Gulf airlines deal with the problem.
Airport development moves forward
The war has not really slowed aviation projects. Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah are still working on expanding their airports, while smaller airports keep getting investments. Experts say the crisis has made it clear that being strong and efficient is important as Gulf aviation gets ready for problems caused by politics.
Winter travel season could be important
The coming winter travel season will give an idea of whether passenger demand has fully come back. Global shortages of planes might also help Gulf airlines because other airlines have extra capacity. With short-term problems, experts are still sure about the long-term future of the region, saying its position between Europe, Asia and Africa, new buildings, government support and strong airline networks are all strong points.