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Airspace closures over the Middle East region does not simply mean commercial flight disruptions but a wider impact on international air freight capacity and prices, global logistics service provider Dimerco said
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The Taiwan-headquartered company warned of delays and surcharges as airlines take longer routes to avoid affected airspace
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Asia–Europe lanes adding about 1-3 hours of flight time
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Jet fuel costs are also likely to be affected as global oil prices surge
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Airlines are reviewing the introduction of, or have already introduced, war-risk surcharges on cargo
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Dimerco said it is working to maintain supply chain continuity through contingency planning across its global network
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Alternatives include air-air relay, chartered flights for urgent shipments, China–Europe Rail, and flexible multi-modal solutions
The airspace closures over the Middle East region does not simply mean commercial flight disruptions but a wider impact on international air freight capacity and prices, global logistics service provider Dimerco said.
The Taiwan-headquartered company warned of delays and surcharges as airlines take longer routes to avoid affected airspace, with Asia–Europe lanes adding about 1-3 hours of flight time.
“These extended routings increase fuel requirements and may reduce available cargo payload capacity on long-haul aircraft,” Dimerco said in a press release.
At the same time, jet fuel costs are likely to be affected as global oil prices surge, jumping nearly 10% on March 2.
Further, surcharges relating to war risks may be imposed by air carriers.
Dimerco said airlines are reviewing the introduction, or have already introduced, these extra costs to shipments routed through or near affected regions.
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Among the countries that have partially or fully restricted civil aviation operations include Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE.
“Industry observers warn that aircraft repositioning challenges and crew displacement may continue to affect global schedules beyond the Middle East,” Dimerco said.
“Even shipments not routing through the Middle East may experience delays as aircraft and crews fall out of position globally,” it added.
As of March 2, more than 3,400 flights have already been cancelled or diverted globally, with airlines worldwide adjusting schedules to maintain safe operations. Among the key international carriers that have suspended or adjusted services are Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Air India and other Asian carriers, including Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
Given the situation, Dimerco said it is working to maintain supply chain continuity through contingency planning across its global network.
Among the steps being taken are activating “Air–Air relay solutions through diversified global gateways,” with support from Dimerco’s airline partnerships across Asia.
It is also looking at dedicated charter project solutions for urgent or high-volume shipments, China–Europe Rail options for suitable cargo, or flexible multimodal routing aligned with real-time capacity availability.
READ: Global logistics face major disruption as Middle East crisis escalates
