Etihad Airways will restart commercial flights from Abu Dhabi on March 6, 2026, after suspending operations due to the conflict. Emirates is operating at just a quarter of normal capacity in Dubai, handling only connecting passengers for confirmed bookings. This partial return follows 310 flights at Dubai airport Thursday, up from 161 the day before but still far below pre-conflict levels. Qatar Airways remains grounded at Doha as airspace remains closed. Lufthansa reports record 2025 revenue but warns the conflict exposes Gulf hubs as a 'geopolitical Achilles heel', prompting plans to bypass the region for routes to Asia and Africa. Lufthansa's €39.6bn revenue and €1.3bn net income highlight the financial stakes as European airlines lobby against Gulf competition amid corruption allegations.

The situation underscores how regional instability threatens global aviation networks.