Operators rerouting freighter flights around warzone

Qatar Airways, the world’s largest air cargo carrier, resumed some freighter operations to and from Doha in recent days after its schedules were disrupted by the closure of Qatari airspace due to the Iran war. Etihad Airways continues to provide charter capacity to the UAE’s supermarket sector with a series of freighter flights this month into Abu Dhabi, carrying essential commodities such as perishable food from India, the Gulf region being particularly dependent on imports. [caption id="attachment_56725469" align="aligncenter" width="1371"] Air France is extending its 777F flight to Mumbai. (Courtesy//Air France-KLM)[/caption] Meanwhile, the emergence of airports in Muscat (MCT), Riyadh (RUH) and Dammam (DMM) as alternative gateways for cargo traffic continue to be at the heart of contingency planning for carriers in the region. MASkargo, for one, is operating flights through Jeddah (JED) and Tashkent (TAS) , MASkargo Chief Executive Jason Thomas told Cargo Facts on March 24 during a fireside chat at Cargo Facts Asia 2026. Volume up as capacity returns These positive signs for the Middle East air cargo market are borne out by the most recent weekly air cargo data for the week of March 9 to 15, released by WorldACD on March 22. The results showed a 30% week-over-week “rebound” in volumes from the Middle East and South Asia as more than 35% of WoW capacity returned. However, tonnages from the Gulf region remained around 50% below their pre-war levels during the week of Feb. 16-22. Average spot rates from Gulf countries also rose WoW, up another 22% to $3.77 per kilo, taking them about 56% higher than their pre-war levels. Ex-India market opportunities Tonnages from South Asia, which normally depend on capacity from Gulf carriers, also partially rebounded with a 24% WoW rise, although they are still 20% below their pre-war levels. Average spot rates from South Asia also recorded a WoW jump of 24% to $3.54 per kilo, increasing more than 60% over a two-week period. Lufthansa is one carrier to spot opportunities in the ex-India market; earlier this month the carrier operated four extra 777 freighters to and from Mumbai (BOM), Delhi (DEL) and Chennai (MAA) into Frankfurt (FRA). Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo is extending the twice-weekly 777F Paris (CDG)-BOM-CDG routing it has operated during the winter to summer timetables, which begin March 29, having initially planned only one weekly round trip, the carrier told Cargo Facts . ‘Improvement marginal and tactical’ However, U.S.-based freight forwarder AIT Worldwide warned against overplaying any WoW “improvement” in the Middle East air cargo market in its March 2026 market report, published March 23. AIT argues that improvement remains “marginal and tactical,” comprising redeployments and reroutes, not a true capacity recovery, while the hike in jet fuel prices is reinforcing rate volatility. The forwarder estimates that at least 60% of Middle East transit capacity remains offline as many carriers continue to avoid or restrict routings through the region, according to the report. Airlines add lift into Europe Global air networks are being reshaped as carriers redeploy aircraft to safer, higher-yield routes, including more direct Asia-Europe lanes, AIT noted in the report. Airlines are adding lift into Europe to capture “demand spillover” from disrupted ocean freight, but this is not offsetting the wider capacity loss, according to the report. However, while Asia-Europe routes remain operational, effective cargo lift is down 30% to 40% due to longer routings around restricted Middle East airspace, AIT said. The inaugural Cargo Facts Routes and Airport Conference will take place April 28-30 at the Marriott Hotel Grand Place in Brussels. Learn more and register by March 13 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.

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