Ethiopian Airlines Group is in early talks with Airbus SE to purchase regional and widebody aircraft as Africa’s largest carrier looks to expand its foothold on the continent and beyond.

When Saudi Arabia unveiled plans in 2023 for a new airline that could take on regional champions Emirates and Qatar Airways, the aviation industry was back in full swing after the pandemic, with packed planes driving fares higher and lifting profits to a record.

The United Arab Emirates has partially closed its airspace for the first time in several weeks after Iran launched missiles and drones toward the UAE, in the worst flareup since the ceasefire began less than a month ago.

For Dubai-based billionaire Gediminas Ziemelis the aviation industry is experiencing a sense of deja-vu amid the Middle East conflict: grounded planes, plummeting demand and no clear sense of when it might all be over.

The United Arab Emirates reopened its airspace early Tuesday morning after the Gulf nation fully shut down air traffic as it intercepted drones and missiles.

Emirates is operating flights to Dubai that are near-empty in some cases as travelers avoid the Persian Gulf, highlighting the challenges for the world’s largest international airline to restore its network amid a protracted war.

Iran struck new targets across the Persian Gulf, hitting a key United Arab Emirates oil hub as US allies balked at President Donald Trump’s demands to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Dubai’s main airport resumed operations Monday after a drone triggered a fuel-tank fire, suspending flights for several hours and further disrupting the aviation hub’s efforts to maintain normality during the prolonged Iran war.

Flights across the Middle East were disrupted Thursday as drone attacks inflicted damage on Iran’s neighbors, further unraveling a tightly coordinated schedule for moving passengers through some of the world’s biggest travel hubs.

Airlines in the Persian Gulf are slowly starting to increase flights even as countries continue to intercept missiles and drones from Iran in their skies.

Iran’s president said he has instructed the military not to attack any country that isn’t striking the Islamic Republic, even as projectiles continued to be fired at the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other states.

Dubai’s Emirates plans to resume operations after flights were temporarily suspended on Saturday, following disruptions caused by another round of interceptions.

Etihad Airways is preparing to restart flights to around 70 destinations after almost a week of complete shutdown for one of the Middle East’s largest carriers.

Every airline has contingency plans to manage disruptions from extreme weather or mechanical failures, but those based in the Middle East always have another item on their list: war.

With airspace in the Middle East still largely closed for civil aviation, Emirates has found its fleet of Airbus SE A380 superjumbos scattered across the globe, highlighting the disruption wrought by the war in Iran and the logistical complications to resume regular service.

It was supposed to be a fancy corporate retreat, a reward for colleagues and their families to spend a few sun-kissed days in Dubai away from the bleak winter back home in Germany and Poland.

Airlines across the Persian Gulf extended their suspension of operations as retaliatory strikes from Iran enter a second day, causing major disruptions at some of the world’s busiest airports.

Lebanon’s national airline is in talks to expand its fleet of Airbus SE jets to capitalize on increased demand and to build out its new low-cost subsidiary.

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise will continue to explore acquisition opportunities as the jet lessor looks to expand and replace aircraft.

Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc announced a record buyback and dramatically raised its midyear earnings target as the UK’s largest manufacturer rides a wave of orders for aircraft engines and the power systems that drive data centers.