Recently, several international airlines have expanded flight cancellations and suspensions to the Middle East, including Air France-KLM, Lufthansa Group, British Airways and Singapore Airlines.

At the same time, Asian carriers such as Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines have adjusted or temporarily suspended certain routes to Dubai, Doha and other Middle Eastern destinations.

Notably, Viet Nam Airlines has also adjusted its Europe-bound routes to avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace, increasing flight times and reducing operational efficiency on international routes.
 

Historically, air cargo flows from Asia to Europe have relied heavily on Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai and Doha, supported by carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.

As these airlines reduce frequencies and adjust their networks, overall capacity across the Asia – Middle East – Europe corridor has been impacted.

Market data indicates that air cargo capacity along the Asia – Middle East – Europe corridor has declined by approximately 26%, with peaks of up to 39% since the conflict escalated.

Flight reductions not only affect passenger traffic but also significantly reduce bellyhold cargo capacity – a major source of global air freight supply.
 
Air Freight Rates Surge Due to Regional Capacity Constraints

As supply tightens across the region, air freight rates from Asia to Europe and the Middle East are increasing rapidly on a weekly basis. Businesses are facing:

According to market data, air freight rates on some international routes have risen by 50–70% since the escalation, with certain South Asia – Europe corridors recording increases of up to approximately 70%.

For the Viet Namese market, round-trip airfares between Viet Nam and Europe during peak periods have reached approximately VND 150 million, reflecting operational cost pressures and system-wide capacity shortages.

Even dedicated freighter operators such as Cathay Pacific Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo have not been able to fully offset the lost capacity
 

  

Extended and Unstable Transit Times

Air freight from Asia to Europe and the Middle East is no longer maintaining stable transit times due to:

Airlines such as Japan Airlines and Malaysia Airlines have also adjusted schedules, further reducing network reliability

Shift Towards Asian Hubs

To maintain cargo flows, airlines are redirecting capacity:

This trend helps sustain air freight flows from Asia to Europe, but also increases costs and puts additional pressure on intra-Asia logistics systems.
 
Middle East Routes: Higher Risk and Limited Options

For Middle East routes, disruption levels are higher as airlines such as Wizz Air and flydubai suspend or scale down operations in the region.

This leads to:

Air freight from across the Asia – Europe – Middle East corridor is entering a period of significant volatility, with reduced capacity, rising costs, and unstable schedules occurring simultaneously.

Changes in airline networks and reliance on strategic transit corridors are making air supply chains less predictable, particularly for time-sensitive shipments.

Businesses need to proactively adjust logistics strategies, diversify routing options, and control costs to maintain operational efficiency in this environment.

Contact Vantage Logistics now for tailored logistics solutions aligned with current market conditions.