Full resumption of commercial flights in Middle East unlikely in the near future
發佈日期: 2026-03-03 21:01
TVB News
Cathay Pacific will extend its suspension of flights to Dubai and Riyadh until the 14th of this month. Some civil aviation pilots stressed that the Middle Eastern airspace remains dangerous.
Tensions continue to rise across the Middle East with some countries in the region having yet to reopen their airspace.
Cathay Pacific announced on Sunday that all flights travelling between Hong Kong, Riyadh and Dubai have been suspended until the 5th and 3rd of this month respectively, but today announced a further delay to the 14th.
As the region's primary aviation hub, the Dubai International Airport has long been the centre for connecting flights between Europe, Africa and Asia.
Owing to the ongoing conflict, Dubai airport announced the suspension of its services on Sunday, only restoring flights at a limited capacity today.
Steven Cheung, Chairman of the Hong Kong Professional Airline Pilots Association, emphasised the risk of flying into Middle Eastern airspace, as some flights from India had to turn back.
He added that there's a possibility of missiles accidentally hitting commercial air transport in the region.
According to a flight tracker website, there has been a significant drop in flights in Middle Eastern airspace.
Regarding alternative routes for direct flights between Hong Kong and Europe, Cheung said pilots may travel across Central Asia and countries such as Turkey.
But satellite signals or GPS may be affected, disturbing flight navigation.
Meanwhile, Peter Hui, Chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers' Council, noted that there has been a pile up of goods at the Dubai International Airport since services were suspended two days ago.
He fears the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could also affect cargo ships, which could extend the shipping time by an extra 12 to 14 days.
Hui noted that the global supply chain order could greatly suffer if the conflict is prolonged.
