Airlines gradually resume Middle East flights amid ongoing disruption

Emirates, a key Gulf airline, plans to roll out incentives aimed at winning back customers worried about the protracted Iran war. The focus will be on safety and reliable travel connections rather than lower fares, according to Emirates President Tim Clark. The state-backed airline will maintain its strategy of keeping flight schedules despite rising costs.

Clark stated that incentives could include new means of ensuring operational safety and addressing concerns about cancelled flights and stranded passengers. Emirates is also in talks with governments and regulators to ease restrictions on Middle East airspace, which has been constrained by the conflict. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued conflict-zone warnings advising airlines against flying over parts of the Gulf and Middle East.

Emirates is in close contact with regional governments and emphasizes extensive intelligence sharing with airlines to ensure safe operations. Clark noted that ticket prices are conditional on oil prices, which are currently fluctuating. He expressed hope for a good summer season, despite first-class cabins being about half full, and predicted oil prices would eventually fall from about $90 a barrel to around $70.