Air cargo capacity drops 18% as Gulf carriers suspend flights due to Middle East airspace closures, impacting global freight networks.
Global air cargo capacity has fallen 18 per cent after Middle East airspace closures forced Gulf carriers to suspend flights and reroute services, reported London's Air Cargo Week. Rotate data shows that 13 per cent of worldwide lift was directly affected within 24 hours of the restrictions.
Tim van Leeuwen, Vice President and Head of Consulting at Rotate, stated that the figures highlight the structural role Gulf carriers play in intercontinental freight flows. He noted that the closures, triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran, are already reshaping global airfreight networks.
Major Middle Eastern airlines, including Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad, have temporarily grounded their services. Qatar Airways normally provides about 12,000 tonnes of daily lift, while Emirates contributes around 10,000 tonnes. Their suspension has immediate consequences for Asia-Europe and Africa trade lanes.
Van Leeuwen mentioned that global capacity fell 18 per cent compared with the same period last week, citing three drivers: Gulf carriers suspending flights, other airlines avoiding the region, and freighters rerouting with reduced payloads.
Rotate data also shows that Asia-Europe capacity rose 22 per cent as airlines switched technical stops to Central Asia or operated direct flights. However, this increase does not offset the wider disruption to global networks.
