DHL Global Forwarding reports steady restoration of air cargo capacity across the Gulf region, citing resumed operations by Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways — with only Kuwait’s airport still closed. Rate levels show initial softening but remain significantly higher than pre-crisis. A new Muscat–Dubai flight alleviates road feeder congestion, while EASA’s security advisory postponed the Leipzig–Dubai–Hong Kong service. Ethiopian Airlines has resumed freighter flights into Dubai World Central. DHL confirms no plans to restart its Bahrain air hub. According to the source, shippers may consider air options for time-sensitive or dislocated cargo — though escalation risks demand rapid contingency planning.
According to theloadstar.com, DHL Global Forwarding (DGF) Middle East and Africa reported a measurable recovery in air cargo capacity across the Gulf region amid the gradual reopening of previously restricted airspace — with only Kuwait’s airport remaining closed due to infrastructure damage.
Gulf Carriers Lead Capacity Restoration
DGF CEO Tobias Maier stated that Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways are steadily restoring air cargo capacity. He noted:
“We are continuing to see the steady restoration of air cargo capacity by Gulf carriers Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways. We have also seen a first softening in rate levels, although they are still significantly higher than those we had before the crisis.” — Tobias Maier, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding
Gulf Air has resumed operations from Bahrain; flights have restarted out of Baghdad and Beirut; and Qatar Airways has re-established connections into Beirut. Maier confirmed that Kuwait airspace remains the sole exception — closed due to physical damage.
Operational Adjustments Amid Security Advisories
Despite the broader recovery, DHL postponed the launch of its planned five-times-weekly Leipzig-Dubai-Hong Kong cargo flight last week. The decision followed guidance from the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which assessed the security risk as too high given uncertainty over the ceasefire and recent attacks and ship seizures. Paul Dowling, DHL Express customer operations manager, MENA, explained:
“Given the uncertainty over the ceasefire and the recent attacks and seizure of ships, EASA deemed that the security risk to be too high to operate a flight into Dubai and on to Hong Kong. But the situation is being assessed every day and it could stabilise over the next few days.” — Paul Dowling, DHL Express Customer Operations Manager, MENA
In response, DHL continues serving Muscat and Riyadh as its primary alternative hubs. It also operates three weekly services from Brussels into Jeddah and maintains daily flights into Tel Aviv from Europe, the Americas, and Asia. To ease congestion on the Oman–UAE land corridor, DHL introduced a short Muscat–Dubai flight — operated by an aircraft based locally, thus exempt from the EASA advisory. This route bypasses border delays experienced by trucks carrying Asia-origin freight off DHL’s Hong Kong–Muscat flight.
Expanding Network Connections
Ben Lambert, VP and Head of Air Freight, MENA, DGF, affirmed growing momentum:
“We’re seeing some real good traction, with more and more capacity coming into the Gulf region, and even flights into Dubai are continuing to increase. Just this week, we got information that Ethiopian Airlines was resuming its freighter back into DWC.” — Ben Lambert, VP and Head of Air Freight, MENA, DHL Global Forwarding
Lambert added that DHL remains hopeful for further freighter capacity additions if the ceasefire holds — though the company confirmed it has no plans to restart operations from its former air hub in Bahrain.
Context for Supply Chain Professionals
This recovery occurs against a backdrop of sustained geopolitical volatility linked to the US-Iran-Israel conflict, which has disrupted both air and ocean networks since early 2026. While air freight rates remain elevated, the return of scheduled services — including daily UK–Qatar flights and new links to Bahrain, Iraq, and Lebanon — offers shippers a viable alternative to delayed ocean shipments, especially for time-sensitive or dislocated containerised cargo. However, practitioners must weigh this opportunity against acute contingency risk: Maier cautioned that in a new ‘escalation scenario’, capacity could contract rapidly. Real-time monitoring of airspace advisories, dual-sourcing of regional gateways (e.g., Muscat/Riyadh instead of Dubai alone), and flexible air-ocean intermodal planning are now essential operational disciplines — not optional enhancements.
Source: The Loadstar
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
