Middle East & North Africa

Over the next decade $121.3 billion is set to be spent on C4ISR and armed ISR aircraft, with $55.4 billion of the total already under contract, Aviation Week predicts.

High oil prices are also a huge concern to an air cargo industry that was dealing with tariff turmoil before the Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran in February.

EASA has extended its Conflict Zone Information Bulletin once again, advising airlines not to operate in the airspace of several countries in the Middle East.

Tunisia has announced plans to expand Tunis-Carthage International Airport, pledging investment of around $1 billion to boost its passenger throughput.

LCC Transavia has four Middle East destinations currently suspended along with a decline in bookings to neighboring countries like Cyprus, Egypt and Turkey.

Swiss International Air Lines sees an increased trend in bookings to the Far East as the capacity from Gulf carriers is less available.

Middle Eastern airlines are working to increase the numbers of flights they are operating.

Flights across the Gulf and surrounding regions remained heavily affected by the ongoing conflict in the region.

The Middle East conflict could prompt changes, but only if its duration stretches into months.

Airlines forced to suspend operations following airspace closures in the Middle East are now focusing on repatriation and repositioning flights.

Recovery from the major disruption to commercial aviation caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could take weeks, industry players said.

The escalating conflict between Iranian and U.S. and Israeli forces is having a major impact across the business aviation segment.

As the U.S./Israel war against Iran stretched into a third day on March 2, airlines around the world that rely on Gulf hubs for connecting flights faced ongoing disruption.

AviLease grew its revenue 19%, expanded its fleet to 202 aircraft, secured investment-grade ratings and supported Riyadh Air’s launch with key leasing deals.

Air Arabia launches daily Sharjah, UAE-Rome flights in July, expanding its European network with direct connectivity.

FlyDubai plans to drive growth with fleet expansion, new destinations and sustainability initiatives, after achieving strong revenue and passenger growth in 2025

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad reported total revenue of $8.4 billion, up 21% year-on-year, driven by expansion across both passenger and cargo operations.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH) at Dubai South has officially inaugurated a new facility for RH Aero Systems.

LCC Air Arabia plans to strengthen both its multi-hub strategy and its route network in the coming year, the airline says.

Maldives-based premium leisure airline, Beond, has signed an LOI with Bahrain's civil aviation regulator to explore the establishment of a Bahrain-based AOC.

Saudi Arabia's regulator has granted AirX Charter the authorization to begin on-demand flights within the kingdom.

Muscat-based BlueFive Capital's new aircraft leasing and asset management platform aims to strengthen the Gulf region’s role in global aviation finance.

Aviation Week’s recently released 2026 Military Fleet & MRO Forecast identifies open requirements for the delivery of 6,513 new-build military aircraft worth $250 billion over the next decade.

MRO provider Sanad is investing $100 million in its asset management business this year as part of efforts to enhance its aftermarket services.

MROs in the Middle East are establishing partnerships and growing their training capabilities to meet rapidly growing demand for qualified talent.