Dubai International Airport (DXB), which normally processes over 1,000 flights a day, has been unable to operate its usual schedule since the crisis began. Gulf carriers Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad have cancelled or delayed thousands of flights, leaving passengers scrambling for alternatives.

According to a Reuters report, Australia’s Flight Centre has seen a 75% surge in calls to its stores and emergency lines. Its Global Managing Director Andrew Stark told Reuters that its customers are already adapting, rebooking via Singapore, China, and North American hubs such as Houston.

Airlines that can operate in and out of the Middle East are being forced to reroute, flying north via the Caucasus and Afghanistan, or south through Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. These detours can add anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes to flight times, burning more fuel and pushing up operating costs.

Subhas Menon, head of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, told Reuters the situation carries a real price.

“Right now the whole of the Middle East is out of bounds, which is a high price for some airlines,” he said. “If Europe can only be served at a high cost, airline profitability will be undermined. At the end of the day, the price to pay is connectivity.”

Industry consultants estimate that total operating costs per long-haul flight could rise between three and eight percent depending on routing and fuel prices. Some airlines may also need to reduce cargo loads to carry the extra fuel required for longer routes.

Airports across Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong, which rely partly on Gulf connectivity, could face longer-term network disruptions if the crisis is prolonged. Jet fuel, which tracks crude oil prices, remains the biggest variable. A sustained escalation in the Gulf could push energy costs higher across the board, eventually feeding through to passengers on virtually every route.