HONG KONG: Gulf airlines have begun restoring limited flight operations from the United Arab Emirates, but missile threats and widespread airspace closures continue to disrupt travel across the Middle East.

Emirates and Etihad Airways said they are operating reduced schedules from their hubs as airlines struggle to manage stranded passengers and volatile security conditions following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.

Much of the region's airspace remains closed due to concerns about missile and drone activity, forcing governments to organize charter flights and secure seats on the limited commercial services still operating to evacuate thousands of people.

The instability has complicated evacuation efforts. A government-chartered Air France flight attempting to repatriate French nationals from the UAE on March 5 had to turn back because of missile fire nearby, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said.

"This situation reflects the instability in the region and the complexity of repatriation operations," he said.

Britain also began returning stranded citizens, with its first repatriation flight from Oman landing at London's Stansted Airport early on March 6 after earlier delays linked to operational issues, including difficulties boarding passengers.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad said on March 6 it would operate a restricted schedule through March 19. The airline plans flights to about 70 destinations, including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Delhi, New York, Toronto, and Tel Aviv.

Dubai-based Emirates said late on March 5 it was operating a scaled-back schedule to 82 destinations, including London, Sydney, Singapore, and New York, until further notice. The airline said transit passengers would only be accepted in Dubai if their connecting flights were confirmed to operate.

Traffic at Dubai International Airport, normally the world's busiest international hub, has started to recover but remains far below normal levels. Flight tracking site Flightradar24 said traffic on March 5 had nearly doubled from the previous day, though it was still only about 25 percent of typical activity.

The limited operations have caused severe disruption for travelers moving between Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, routes heavily reliant on Middle Eastern hubs.

Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad together normally carry about one-third of passengers traveling between Europe and Asia and more than half of those flying from Europe to Australia, New Zealand, and nearby Pacific islands, according to aviation data firm Cirium.

Qatar's Doha hub remains closed, though authorities have arranged a limited number of relief flights from Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Cirium data showed the scale of disruption. Between February 28, when the conflict began, and March 5, more than 44,000 flights had been scheduled to and from the Middle East, with over 25,000 cancelled so far.

Airlines outside the region have begun adding extra services to accommodate displaced travelers. Malaysia Airlines said it would operate additional flights from Kuala Lumpur to London and Paris till March 7. SriLankan Airlines also announced an extra service between Colombo and London scheduled for March 7.

Fuel Costs Surge

The conflict has also sent jet fuel prices sharply higher. Singapore jet fuel, a key benchmark for Asia, climbed to a record US$225 per barrel earlier this week amid concerns about supply disruptions at Middle Eastern refineries.

Prices later eased to around $195 a barrel on March 5 after profit-taking, but they remain nearly double last week's levels.

"As well as lost revenue, airlines are likely to be affected by higher fuel prices," Fitch Ratings said.

Fuel hedging levels vary widely across the industry. Fitch said most airlines in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa had hedged between 50 percent and 80 percent of their fuel needs for the next three months.

Airline stocks in Asia fell amid uncertainty. Qantas shares dropped more than one percent on March 6, while Air New Zealand slid 6.4 percent. Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific declined about one percent, Singapore Airlines fell 0.6 percent, and Korean Air dropped roughly two percent.

Shares of major Chinese carriers, including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, were largely unchanged, as were Japan Airlines' shares.

Travellers Face Chaos

With the conflict showing little sign of easing, aviation disruption and cargo delays could persist.

Passengers have reported paying large sums to escape the region as commercial flights remain scarce. Some travelers who managed to leave on March 5 via Oman described the scramble to secure seats as chaotic.

"We paid 1,500 pounds ($2,005.05) to get across to Muscat (Oman) to get on the plane," said Ed Short after arriving at London's Heathrow Airport on a British Airways flight.

"We'd spent about 20,000 pounds booking an Emirates flight instead. So we're hoping we get those back."