Airfare spike reports overblown

23/03/2026

KUWAIT CITY, March 23: The initial estimated losses of global airlines due to the American-Israeli-Iranian conflict were $53 billion. Head of the Kuwaiti Federation of Travel and Tourism Offices Mohammad Al-Mutairi expressed skepticism to the newspaper, stating that the abovementioned data on global aviation losses is unconfirmed, inaccurate and unacceptable. He acknowledged the price increase on some routes due to reduced flights and higher demand, but he described the general reports of 200 to 300 percent increase as “exaggerated and just a few isolated cases.”

In contrast, international reports suggest that rising oil prices and subsequent fuel surcharges prompted airlines to raise airfares. Specifically, increases on domestic flights in the United States and Europe reportedly ranged between 200 and 300 percent. In the Middle East, where thousands of flights were canceled due to the repercussions of the war, price hikes ranged between 11 to 135 percent, although they reached nearly 400 percent in some exceptional instances.

According to global statistics, the top 20 carriers already incurred losses reaching $53 billion. The Financial Times reported that Gulf state airlines have been affected due to numerous flight cancellations, route disruptions and the fuel price surge. Industry leaders described this situation as “the worst aviation crisis since the pandemic.” As an example from the United States, The Washington Post reported that the price of a flight from San Francisco to Kansas City, Missouri—which previously cost between $400 and $500—rose to $1,500 for the cheapest seat after about two weeks of disruption.

By Najeh Bilal Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff