Lufthansa plans to add long-haul flights to cater for travellers amid the closure of Gulf aviation hubs due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. The demand for long-haul flights has increased ever since the start of this recent instability.
Long-haul flights from Lufthansa
Due to the increased tension in the Middle East, major Middle Eastern nations shut down their airspace, which forced airports in that region to stop operations. This included major transit hubs such as Dubai and Doha.
This affects major airlines such as Emirates and Qatar Airways, as flights have been suspended and rerouted. According to a recent report, Lufthansa, the German airline group, has been facing high demands to operate long-haul flights in this war crisis.
Lufthansa’s chief executive, Carsten Spohr, said:
“The war in the Middle East proves once again how exposed air traffic is and how vulnerable it remains, even though the industry is now more resilient to crises than it used to be.”
The conflict began last weekend with attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran.
Lufthansa expects rise in revenue
The German carrier said that airspace closure has pushed passengers to seek alternative routes via Europe, resulting in a huge rise in bookings for long-haul flights.
While the airlines expect its earnings to grow this year, it also said that it is difficult to estimate the financial impact, as much will depend on how long the war lasts.
In 2025, the German carrier had a net profit of €1.34 billion, which is around 3% less than in 2024.
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