ghazi52
THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
MOMENTOUS TASK PIECING NETWORK BACK TOGETHER
Dubai now has the momentous task of handling tens of thousands of displaced passengers and piecing its network back together while trying to minimise damage to inbound flights that represent half its traffic.Most analysts say that, barring a prolonged regional war, the Gulf hubs will recover by virtue of the momentum and the power of their networks. But the unprecedented shutdown of all three major hubs - Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha - coincides with growing competition from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and India.
"There's no doubt at all this is temporary. They have seen major incidents before and recovered very quickly due to their importance as global hubs," said UK-based travel consultant Paul Charles. "They will recover quickly, even if there is substantial uncertainty in the short term."
Others are less certain. The whole industry bounced back from the beating taken during the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to demand outpacing supply. This time, however, it is demand that is at risk.
"Travellers are likely to consider more direct flights rather than stop over in Dubai or Doha. All this hub traffic is likely to take a hit," said independent aviation adviser Bertrand Grabowski.
