Middle East & North Africa

Togo’s ASKY is carving out a profitable and reliable reputation as a strong African connecting carrier from its Lomé hub, and is now eyeing long-haul operations

The increased threat from Iran and its Houthi proxies in Yemen in recent years has seen defense spending in Saudi rise significantly.

The 3rd World Defense Show took place at Riyadh’s International Convention and Exhibition Center between February 8-12.

The Aviator Institute has joined the Airbus Flight Academy, providing international recognition for the Tunisian flight school and strengthening its position within the global training ecosystem.

A decade after the launch of Vision 2030, the Saudi defense industry can claim significant progress in its goal to localize more than 50% of military procurement.

Fueled by growing a freighter fleet, Middle East carriers have clear plans to develop their cargo business, even if disruption in the regions means this is temporarily on pause.

Jazeera Airways is planning to offer 60% of its regular capacity in May despite the airspace in its home country of Kuwait still being closed.

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has forged a new partnership with Blackstone Credit & Insurance (BXCI) to launch a commercial aircraft leasing vehicle branded Equator.

Syria and Germany have signed a new air transport agreement, marking a significant step toward revitalizing Syria’s civil aviation sector.

Flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway will step down from his role but will remain as an adviser through the end of the year, supporting interim CEO Sanjiv Kapoor.

The body representing Arab airlines has condemned Iran’s targeting of airports in the Gulf, stating that such actions violate international norms.

The conflict between Iran, the U.S. and Israel is the greatest crisis faced by the Middle East's airlines since the coronavirus pandemic.

New Yemeni airline FlyAden has officially taken delivery of its first aircraft, an Airbus A320, at Aden International Airport.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has secured a defense agreement with Qatar and is working to secure similar arrangements in the region.

In 2024 U.S., Foreign Military Sales reached a new record of $97 billion, more than double the levels seen between 2018 and 2021.

European missile manufacturer MBDA plans to “intensify” its production ramp-up in 2026, CEO Eric Beranger says.

The move is part of a dual-airport strategy supporting an airlift initiative transporting passengers and cargo to and from Kuwait via Saudi territory amid the regional conflict.

MBRAH and Lufthansa Technik open advanced aircraft painting/grinding center in Dubai to boost MRO efficiency for Middle East airlines.

Saudi Arabia will establish a national aerial firefighting service using Thrush agricultural aircraft.

Ryanair is experiencing a short-term spike in demand for short-haul bookings, as consumers seek alternatives to travel through or to the Gulf.

Sales of certain spare parts and other short-cycle commercial aftermarket activity face near-term risks from the Iran war.

Disruption to flights to and from the Gulf persists, with Iranian missiles and drones continuing to evade defenses and hit several of the region’s airports.

Will it remain a year of resilient demand for U.S. airlines? Much hinges on the duration of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Greek flag carrier Aegean Airlines has experienced a drop in booking flow of 8-10% because of the war in the Middle East,

Air Astana is seeing a significant surge in point-to-point and transit passengers through Kazakhstan as the war in the Middle East continues.