MIDDLE EAST
INDUSTRY DISRUPTIONS

The Middle East War is a rapidly evolving situation, with impact on supply chains remaining fluid.

The Radiant Network remains committed to providing our customers with customized supply chain solutions that deliver, whatever the challenge.

The coming days will require expertise in creative solutions for successful movement in and out of affected areas. These updates illustrate the need to ensure your supply chain partner is well versed in both international and domestic out-of-the-box solutions.

The Radiant Network will continue to work with valued customers: past, present and future alike, on providing assistance and problem solving for these current challenges.

If you have questions or concerns with freight or with your supply chain, please reach out to your account executive from the Radiant Network. 

This page will be updated with new information as it becomes available. 

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AIR UPDATES
OCEAN UPDATES

AIR UPDATES

Last updated October 16, 2026 at 10am PST

The Middle East air freight market continues to face uncertainty as renewed security concerns disrupt airline operations and delay a full recovery. Recent attacks and airspace warnings have prompted additional flight cancellations, including services to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

While major regional hubs remain operational, airline capacity is still constrained. Cathay Pacific has extended Dubai and Riyadh passenger flight cancellations into early 2027, while Cargolux continues to limit its Middle East network, with Muscat remaining an exception.

Air freight rates also remain elevated compared with last year, reflecting reduced capacity, ongoing security concerns and broader market demand.

For shippers, advance planning and routing flexibility remain essential. Alternative gateways, multiple carrier options and additional transit time may help minimize disruptions as conditions evolve.

Radiant Global Logistics continues to monitor airline schedules, capacity and routing options to help customers identify reliable and competitive air freight solutions in this changing market.

Current Airline Updates:

CARGOLUX: 

  • Temporary suspension and acceptance of all freight bound for the Middle East until further notice, with the exception of Muscat.

  • Planned restart to DWC has been placed on hold until further notice.

AIR FRANCE/KLM/MARTINAIR:

  • Suspended following flights:

    • Air France: Riyadh Until October 31

    • Air France: Dubai until October 31

    • KLM: Dubai Until October 24

    • KLM: Riyadh Until October 31

    • KLM: Dammam Until October 31

    • Martinair: Dubai until October 24

LUFTHANSA 

  • Due to the volatile situation in the Middle East and for operational reasons the Lufthansa Group Airlines will continue to suspend flights to the following destinations.
    • Dubai through October 24
    • Tel Aviv gradually restarted
    • Amman through October 24, Austrian Airlines set to resume starting Oct 2
    • Beirut through October 24
    • Dammam through October 24
    • Riyadh resumed Sep 10
    • Erbil through October 24
    • Muscat through October 24
    • Tehran through October 31
  • Lufthansa is canceling 20,000 flights through October 2026, largely due to soaring jet fuel prices and shortages caused by the conflict. The cancellations focus on short-haul European routes and older aircraft, with around 120 daily flights already impacted, including routes from Frankfurt.

ITA AIRWAYS

  • Suspended flights to and from:

    • Dubai until November 30

    • Riyadh suspended until November 18

QATAR AIRWAYS

  • Resumed service to Bahrain (BAH), Erbil (EBL) and Kuwait (KWI).
  • Qatar Airways Cargo has published its latest schedule, reflecting the resumption of freighter and belly operations to and from Doha.
  • Qatar Airways Cargo will resume twice weekly freighter flights to Dubai World Central (DWC) on 26 April, and three times weekly Sharjah (SHJ) flights on 1 May. Qatar Airways will also resume daily passenger flights to Dubai (DXB) and Sharjah (SHJ).
  • Freighter destinations will increase to over 50 as of 1 May, while our passenger / belly-hold network will continue its expansion to over 150 destinations from 16 June.
  • The embargo on VIC – Q‑Prime Urgent Critical Cargo has been lifted as of 23 April, allowing for the highest priority on capacity-restrained flights and continuous monitoring provided by Qatar Airways Cargo’s Control Tower.
  • The following products will be available effective 1 May with bookings currently available:
    • QRLIV* – special handling codes AVF, AVM and DOC
    • LHO – live human organs and blood

UNITED

  • Flights to and from Tel Aviv and Dubai have been suspended until further notice.

EMIRATES

  • Following the partial reopening of regional airspace, Emirates has resumed passenger and freighter operations, with services now stabilizing across the network and cargo flows operating smoothly.

  • Customers may continue to plan and book shipments on available flights, subject to capacity. Transit cargo via Dubai (DXB/DWC) will be accepted where onward connections are confirmed and operational.

  • The updated list of passenger and freighter destinations for the month of April is available on the links below:

  • In addition, a scheduled Road Feeder Service (RFS) operation twice weekly has been introduced to Muscat (MCT), Bahrain (BAH), and Kuwait (KWI). Customers are requested to liaise with their local Emirates SkyCargo offices for booking and operational requirements related to these services.

  • Flight schedules remain subject to change and regulatory approvals. Customers are advised to contact their local Emirates SkyCargo office for the latest updates on schedules, capacity, and requirements.

  • Restrictions still in place:

    • Class 1 Dangerous Goods remain restricted to and from the EK network.

ETIHAD

  • Etihad Airways is currently operating a limited commercial flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and a number of key destinations.
  • Limited number of repositioning, cargo, and repatriation flights are operating.
  • Please check online schedule or local sales office to confirm capacity and service.
  • The United Arab Emirates carrier said it is operating ​a commercial flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and around 80 destinations.

AIR CANADA

  •  All flights to and from Dubai and Tel Aviv are suspended until further notice.

DHL
  • All flights to and from Middle East are temporarily suspended until further notice with the exception of the resumptions below:
    • BAH, DXB, DWC, AUH, SHJ, MCT currently open
    • Perishable now acceptable to DWC, DXB. and MCT
    • DG acceptable to all open ME destinations

IAG

  • Flights between London and Doha have resumed service.
  • Flights between London and Tel Aviv are suspended until end of October 2026.
  • Flights between London and Dubai resume on 3 November 2026.
  • Flights between London and Riyadh resume on 3 November 2026.
  • Flights between London and Amman are suspended until November 2026.
  • Flights between Madrid and Doha are suspended until 2027.
  • Flights between London and Bahrain are suspended until March 2027.
  • Flights between London and Larnaca are operating on a reduced schedule.
  • Flights between London and Abu Dhabi are suspended until further notice.
  • Flights between London and Jeddah are suspended until further notice.

TURKISH

  • Flights to Dubai fully restored June 9.

  • Flights to Abu Dhabi starting July 1.

  • Flights to Doha fully restored.

  • While some flights to Amman and Beirut have resumed, operations remain subject to schedule adjustments.

SILKWAY

  • All scheduled destinations have resumed with the exception of Kuwait.

CATHAY

  • Resumption of passenger service to Dubai and Riyadh postponed to January 31, 2027.
  • Freighter service to Riyadh postponed. No ETA for resumption.

VIRGIN

  • Service to and from DXB has been suspended for the season. Planned return Winter 2026.

  • Services to and from Riyadh are now cancelled indefinitely.

  • The situation remains dynamic, and they are actively monitoring. Confirm with local sales and customer service before booking.

FINNAIR

  • Flights suspended to Dubai until March 2027.

  • Finnair also announced it will not operate flights to Doha for the upcoming 2026-27 Winter Schedule.

AIR INDIA

  • Full flight network across the GCC have been restored.

GULF AIR

  • Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has announced a near-full return to normal operations, with 75% of its global network and destinations reinstated. Over the past several weeks, the airline has gradually resumed services across the Middle East, Europe, Indian Subcontinent, and Africa, resuming services to more destinations and reconnecting an increasing number of passengers through the Kingdom of Bahrain. 
  • Gulf Air confirmed that flight frequency continues to grow, with services now operating across 40 destinations in 24 countries, representing 75% of network, underlining the airline’s swift and structured return to full operations. Gulf Air continues to add flights and increase daily frequencies across its network in a phased approach leading to full restoration by 1 June 2026.

ROYAL JORDANIAN

  •  Flights will resume as long as airspace remains open. Flights have been cancelled to any closed airspace.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

  •  SQ494 and SQ495 to and from Dubai suspended until October 24.

CHALLENGE AIRLINES

  •  Continuing to operate full flight schedule despite current Middle East disruptions.



OCEAN UPDATES

Last updated October 16, 2026, at 10am PST

Overview

Maritime security concerns across the Middle East continue to create significant uncertainty for global ocean freight operations. Recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have heightened concerns regarding vessel safety, service reliability, and potential disruptions to cargo moving into and out of the Arabian Gulf. While portions of the Red Sea and Suez Canal trade are showing signs of recovery, the overall situation remains volatile, and carriers continue to evaluate routing decisions based on security conditions.


Strait of Hormuz – Escalating Security Concerns

  • Multiple commercial vessels, including container ships and tankers, have been struck by projectiles in recent days.

     

  • On October 13, the Singapore-flagged container vessel GFS PRIDE was struck, caught fire, and subsequently sank. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated.

     

  • A second Singapore-flagged container vessel, GFS GISELLE, sustained hull damage but reached a safe anchorage under its own power.

     

  • Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz declined approximately 30% week over week during October 5–11, reflecting the deteriorating security environment.

These developments raise concerns regarding carrier willingness to accept bookings, vessel availability, and continued access to Arabian Gulf ports.


Red Sea / Suez Canal – Signs of Recovery

Despite the escalating situation in the Arabian Gulf, container vessel activity through the Red Sea and Suez Canal has been gradually increasing.

  • September container traffic through the Suez Canal reached approximately 2.19 million TEUs, a 40% increase compared with August.

     

  • Some carriers have resumed selected services through the Red Sea, reducing reliance on the longer Cape of Good Hope routing.

     

  • However, overall Suez traffic remains significantly below pre-crisis levels, and security concerns continue to influence carrier routing decisions.


Any renewed escalation involving Houthi forces could reverse this progress and result in additional diversions.


Potential Impact on Ocean Freight

Transit Times: Shipments moving through affected waterways remain subject to routing changes, schedule adjustments, and potential delays.

Freight Rates & Surcharges: Continued instability may increase exposure to war-risk premiums, emergency surcharges, and additional operational costs. Actual charges will vary by carrier, trade lane, and routing.

Space & Equipment: Service disruptions may impact vessel availability, equipment positioning, and capacity at affected ports.

Booking Acceptance: Carriers may implement additional restrictions or modify service offerings with limited notice, particularly for cargo moving to or from Arabian Gulf destinations.


The Strait of Hormuz currently presents the most immediate security concern, while the Red Sea is showing gradual improvement in container vessel activity. Both corridors remain vulnerable to sudden changes, and flexibility in routing and shipment planning will be essential.

Questions or concerns?

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