The Gulf faces uneven rebound from war downturn
As diplomats, schoolchildren, and executives trickle back into the region, inbound flight data for August paints a picture of uneven recovery.
The Gulf region is experiencing an uneven recovery from the war downturn, according to inbound flight data for August. In Abu Dhabi, arrivals at Zayed International Airport were almost back to pre-war levels, with just 18 flights less than the same period last year. However, Dubai, which heavily relies on tourism, saw a 17% decrease in inbound flights and a 16% drop in seat availability compared to last year. Doha also experienced a 13% decline in flights.
Dubai alone accounts for over three-quarters of the region's lost seats. Dubai Airports reported that the airport handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half of the year, a 31.3% decrease compared to 2025. The airport had initially forecasted close to 100 million passengers for 2026 before the US-Iran war began. Emirates President Tim Clark stated last month that the airline was operating at 90% of capacity, but other major carriers like Lufthansa, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines have suspended routes in the region.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
