The South Caucasus is becoming an aviation hub
As a result of airspace restrictions in the Middle East, Azerbaijan and Georgia have become key transit hubs for air traffic between Europe and Asia.
Since late February, air traffic in parts of the Middle East has been severely disrupted. Several countries in the region, including Iran, Iraq, and Israel, have partially closed or restricted their airspace. As a result, airlines have had to reroute numerous flights.
Data from the flight tracking service Flightradar24 has since shown a significant increase in air traffic over the South Caucasus, particularly over Azerbaijan and South Georgia.
Narrow Corridor Over Azerbaijan
The situation was further exacerbated after Azerbaijan temporarily closed part of its southern airspace. The reason was a reported drone attack.
Authorities subsequently closed the southern section of the Baku Flight Information Region (FIR). Since then, international flights have had to use a narrow corridor in the north of the country.
According to aviation data, this roughly 100-kilometer-wide strip has become one of the most important transit routes between Europe and Asia, as airlines are currently avoiding large parts of the Middle East.
Drone Attack in Nakhchivan
According to Azerbaijani authorities, drones launched from Iran attacked targets in Azerbaijan on March 5. An airport terminal in the Nakhchivan exclave was damaged and four civilians were injured.
The Ministry of Defense stated that a total of four drones had been launched. One struck the terminal building, while another landed near a school in a village.
President Ilham Aliyev described the incident as an “act of aggression” and announced a response.
However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei rejected the allegations. He stated that Iranian forces had not carried out an attack and spoke of possible provocations.
Airlines adjust routes
While Azerbaijan’s southern airspace was closed, the remaining northern corridor became a key route for aircraft traveling between Europe and Asia.
Flightradar24 shows a high concentration of flight activity along this route as airlines attempt to maintain long-haul connections while avoiding closed airspace.
Under normal circumstances, major hubs in the Gulf—such as Dubai, Doha, or Abu Dhabi—serve as central transfer points for flights between continents. However, the current restrictions have temporarily disrupted this model.
Dubai International Airport, normally one of the world’s busiest airports for international passengers, had to temporarily suspend operations, leading to numerous flight cancellations.
Impact on Aviation and Supply Chains
Airlines worldwide are adapting their route networks to the situation. European airlines such as the Lufthansa Group and Air France-KLM have reduced or suspended connections to parts of the Middle East while expanding direct flights between Europe and Asia.
Global logistics are also affected. According to Reuters, manufacturers in South Asia are reporting delays in air freight shipments. Shipments of clothing for international retailers, including suppliers to Zara’s parent company Inditex, are currently stuck at airports in Bangladesh and India.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates announced that it is working on temporary safe air corridors that could accommodate additional flights in the future.
This article was produced in cooperation with our partner bne intelliNews
