Global Airlines Suspend Middle East and Asian Routes Amid Fuel Crisis and Airspace Closures

Crystal Travel | Travel News | 15 May 2026

As conflict in the Middle East forces airspace closures and drives jet fuel prices to record highs, major European airlines are grounding routes and cutting schedules — leaving travellers across the UK and Europe facing cancellations, longer journeys, and rising fares this summer.

The Story So Far

European aviation is experiencing one of its most disruptive periods in recent years. Major airlines across the continent have been suspending or significantly cutting back flights to the Middle East and parts of Asia, with the crisis showing little sign of easing ahead of the summer travel season.

Germany has now joined the UK, France, the Netherlands, Finland, and more in taking action, as carriers respond to two compounding pressures — sharply rising aviation fuel costs and the closure of key airspace corridors across the Middle East region.

Airspace Closures and Fuel Costs Behind the Travel Disruption

What Is Causing the Disruption?

The disruption traces back to ongoing conflict across the Middle East, which has resulted in the closure and restriction of airspace that European airlines have depended on for many years. With those corridors now unavailable, carriers are being pushed onto longer and considerably more expensive alternative routes.

Fuel supply chains have been heavily disrupted as a direct consequence of the conflict, sending jet fuel prices soaring across Europe. Since fuel accounts for roughly 30 per cent of an airline's total operating costs, a dramatic rise in prices has an immediate and visible impact on flight schedules, route viability, and the fares passengers pay.

It is also worth noting that most European carriers have been barred from Russian airspace since 2022 following EU sanctions. With both the northern Russian corridor and Middle Eastern routes now effectively closed, airlines are left with very limited and far more costly options when routing flights to Asia and the Gulf.

Which Airlines Have Been Affected?

The breadth of the response across Europe tells its own story. Germany's Lufthansa Group has cancelled a significant number of flights through to autumn 2026 and has suspended services to several Middle Eastern destinations. Its subsidiary Eurowings has followed with its own cancellations across affected routes.

British Airways has pulled flights to several Gulf destinations, with suspensions in some cases running deep into the second half of 2026. The airline has been reallocating capacity to regions where flying remains both safe and operationally viable.

KLM in the Netherlands has cancelled services to several Middle Eastern cities while also trimming parts of its wider European network, stating plainly that rising fuel costs have rendered certain routes unworkable.

Air France and its low-cost carrier Transavia have announced cancellations spanning the coming months, with both the regional conflict and surging fuel prices given as the core reasons.

Finland's Finnair, which was already under strain following the loss of Russian overflight rights in 2022, has suspended Gulf routes and is rerouting flights to Asia on significantly longer paths, adding both time and cost to those journeys. Poland's LOT has taken comparable steps, underlining just how broadly this situation is affecting European aviation as a whole.

What UK Travellers Need to Know

For UK passengers, the disruption is already being felt. Flights to popular destinations such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi have been heavily affected, and travellers looking to connect onward to Asia through Gulf hubs face real uncertainty. Fares on unaffected routes have climbed, and journey times have increased due to longer routings. The British government has indicated that elevated flight costs are expected to persist for some time.

If your flight has been cancelled, you have rights under UK261 regulations. You are entitled to a full cash refund or an alternative flight to your destination. Airlines cannot retrospectively add fuel surcharges to tickets already purchased, and you are not required to accept a travel voucher in place of a monetary refund.

At Crystal Travel, our team is ready to help you understand your options and plan with confidence. Contact us today for expert travel advice.

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