Lufthansa Group chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr stated (06-Mar-2026) the group plans to focus on "internationalisation, fleet renewal and efficiency improvements" in 2026. Lufthansa Group's capacity growth will focus on long haul services, while short haul capacity is expected to remain stable. The group is considering increasing frequency to Singapore, India, China and South Africa and expects new generation aircraft to comprise approximately 30% of its fleet by the end of 2026. [more - original PR]
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Crestone Air Partners entered (08-Mar-2026) a definitive agreement to acquire Arena Aviation Capital, subject to closing conditions and approvals. The acquisition will expand the size and breadth of capabilities under Crestone's aviation lifecycle platform. The combined platform is expected to comprise approximately 124 aircraft and 17 engines on lease to customers, with more than USD4 billion of assets under management and more than 55 employees in five countries. Crestone Air Partners CEO Kevin Milligan said: "This transaction is a natural strategic fit and reflects our belief that the industry benefits from disciplined consolidation". [more - original PR]
Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Air Arabia and Dubai International Airport, via their official websites and social media accounts, confirmed (06/07/08-Mar-2026) the following updates for UAE services:
- Emirates: "Following the partial re-opening of regional airspace, Emirates is operating a reduced flight schedule. Customers transiting in Dubai will only be accepted for travel if their connecting flight is operating";
- Etihad Airways: "Etihad Airways will resume a limited commercial flight schedule from [06-Mar-2026}, operating between Abu Dhabi and a number of key destinations. The following destinations are scheduled to operate to and from Abu Dhabi between [06-Mar-2026 and 19-Mar-2026]: Ahmedabad, Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Athens, Atlanta, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Bengaluru, Boston, Brussels, Cairo, Casablanca, Chiang Mai, Chicago, Colombo, Copenhagen, Delhi, Bali, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jakarta, Jeddah, Karachi, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Krabi, Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, London Heathrow, Madrid, Malé, Manchester, Manila, Madinah, Melbourne, Milan Malpensa, Moscow Sheremetyevo, Mumbai, Munich, Muscat, Nairobi, New York JFK, Paris, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Prague, Riyadh, Rome, Seoul Incheon, Seychelles, Singapore, Saint Petersburg, Sydney, Taipei, Thiruvananthapuram, Tokyo, Toronto, Vienna, Warsaw, Washington and Zurich";
- flydubai: "Operations in and out of Dubai have resumed";
- Air Arabia: "Air Arabia has started operating a limited number of flights to and from the UAE";
- Dubai Airport: "We have partially resumed operations from today, [07-Mar-2026], with some flights operating" from Dubai Airport and Dubai World Central (Al Maktoum International Airport). [more - original PR - Emirates] [more - original PR - Etihad - II] [more - original PR - flydubai - III]
Background ✨
UAE airspace disruptions from 01-Mar-2026 triggered widespread suspensions, with Dubai Airports also reporting minor damage at Dubai International and an incident at Zayed International Airport causing one fatality and seven injuries.1 The UAE GCAA later activated regional contingency plans, citing capacity of up to 48 flights per hour via emergency routes as exceptional flights began operating.2 3 By 05/06-Mar-2026, Emirates, Etihad and flydubai operated reduced schedules, while Dubai International advised most flights remained suspended and access restricted to confirmed departures.4
Embraer Commercial Aviation revenue down 1% in 4Q2025 as a result of customer mix
Embraer reported (06-Mar-2026) the following segment highlights for 4Q2025:
- Commercial Aviation: Revenues decreased 1% year-on-year to USD974 million, as a result of customer mix. Gross margin decreased from +12.5% to +8.6%. Adjusted EBIT decreased from +8.5% to +4.1% dragged by customer mix and higher production costs;
- Services & Support: Revenues increased 25% to USD552 million, driven by higher volumes across all segments, particularly in Defense & Security and Commercial Aviation. The gross margin increased from +29.4% to +32.2% mainly because of materials. Adjusted EBIT margin increased from +17.4% to +21.4%, and more than offset the negative impact of US tariffs during the period. [more - original PR]
IATA Economics reported (06-Mar-2026) the conflict in the Middle East has severely disrupted global energy flows and exposed "deep vulnerabilities" in jet fuel security. Details include:
- Europe is among the most exposed regions, with 25% to 30% of its jet fuel demand originating from the Persian Gulf. IATA stated: "Jet fuel security in Europe is largely reliant on commercial inventories that typically amount to just over one month of demand";
- Potential alternative suppliers such as India and China also face constraints, as 84% of crude passing through the Strait of Hormuz is destined for Asian markets, limiting global availability of crude oil needed for jet fuel refining. IATA noted that rising war risk premiums and long rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope are further increasing costs and extending delivery times.
IATA commented: "This crisis underscores the urgent need to strengthen jet fuel resilience through dedicated strategic reserves, diversified sourcing, and closer coordination between governments, airlines, and refiners. The aviation industry, unable to substitute jet fuel at scale, remains at the sharpest edge of the disruption, making policy intervention essential. In the longer term, accelerating sustainable aviation fuel development and reinforcing supply chain redundancy will be critical to reducing exposure to shocks of this magnitude". [more - original PR]
Aegean Airlines announced (05-Mar-2026) plans to extend the suspension of services to the following Middle East destinations:
Most Read News Headlines
UAE airlines, airports and civil aviation authority confirm suspensions and closures of airspace
UAE General Authority of Civil Aviation, Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, Dubai Airports and Abu Dhabi Airports, via their official websites and social media accounts, confirmed (28-Feb/01-Mar-2026) the following updates for UAE services as of 01-Mar-2026:
- UAE General Authority of Civil Aviation: "Announced a temporary and partial closure of the UAE's airspace as an exceptional precautionary measure aimed at ensuring the safety of flights and crews and protecting the country's territory, in light of the accelerating and escalating security developments in the region";
- Emirates Airline: "Temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai, up until 15:00 UAE time on" 02-Mar-2026;
- Etihad Airways: "All flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 14:00 UAE time on" 02-Mar-2026;
- Air Arabia: "Flights to and from the UAE are temporarily suspended until 15:00 UAE time on" 02-Mon-2026;
- Dubai Airports: All flight operations at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central (Al Maktoum International Airport) "are suspended until further notice. Passengers must not travel to the airport and are advised to contact their airline directly for the latest flight updates". Dubai Airports "confirms that a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained";
- Abu Dhabi Airports: "Authorities in Abu Dhabi are responding to an incident resulting from the interception of a drone that targeted Zayed International Airport. The interception led to falling debris, which resulted in one fatality of an Asian national and seven injuries". [more - original PR - Dubai Airports] [more - original PR - Emirates - II] [more - original PR - Etihad - III]
Gulf Air and Bahrain Airport confirm temporary suspension of services due to airspace closure
Gulf Air and Bahrain International Airport, via their respective Twitter accounts, announced (01/02-Mar-2026) "Gulf Air flights remain temporarily suspended due to Bahrain & regional airspace closures" and "Flight operations at Bahrain International Airport remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Bahraini airspace". The airline added: "Flights will resume once the BCAA confirms safe reopening".