Why read this: This is a news analysis of how the 2026 Middle East conflict is reshaping global aviation, a topic that affects almost every Chinese family with travel, study, or work abroad. Rather than just reporting events, the article builds an argument. It claims that twenty years of relying on Gulf airline hubs has turned out to be a concentration risk, while direct routes between Europe and Asia are re-emerging as alternatives.
What to notice: Watch how the writer sets scale before making an argument: paragraph 2 loads quantitative evidence — percentages, barrels per day, price ranges — to ground what follows. Notice how named companies with specific actions (SAS, Lufthansa, Wizz Air, Ryanair) are contrasted with generic industry categories (legacy carriers, low-cost carriers). Pay attention to how cause and effect are chained through paragraphs 3 and 4 without explicit signposting.
Skills practised: Reading: following an argument across paragraphs; extracting quantitative claims; inferring cause and effect from juxtaposition. Writing: using an evidence-then-implication structure; hedging claims with modal verbs such as 'may', 'could', or 'will almost certainly'; building an editorial voice without using 'I' or 'we'.
The Gulf Airline Hub Just Hit a Big Problem
For twenty years, most Asia–Europe flights connected through Dubai and other Gulf cities. The war has changed all that.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
A fire broke out near Dubai International Airport on 16th March after a dronedrone: A male ant, bee or wasp, which does not work but can fertilize the queen bee — 雄蜂 strikestrike: A blow or application of physical force against something — 袭击 hit a fuel tanktank: A large container for storing liquid or gas; a heavy armoured military vehicle. — 容器；水箱；坦克 nearbynearby: Not far away; close at hand. — 附近的；邻近的. Dozensdozen: A group of twelve; used informally to mean a lot. — 一打；十二个 of Emirates flights had to be cancelledcancel: To invalidate or annul something — 取消, and other planes were redirected to Al Maktoum airport. Many Chinese families know this route well — Shanghai, Beijing or Hong Kong to Europe, with a short stop in the Gulf. For twenty years this has been the standard long-distance route, but since the war between Iran and a US–Israel alliancealliance: A formal agreement or union between countries, groups, or individuals for mutual benefit. — 联盟；同盟；结盟 began on 28th February, it has become a war zonezone: An area or region distinguished from adjacent parts by a distinctive feature or characteristic. — 地带；区域.
The disruptiondisruption: A disturbance or problem that interrupts an activity, event, or process. — 干扰；中断；混乱 to the airline industry is hard to overstate. About one-fifth of the world's oil and roughlyroughly: Approximately; in a way that lacks precision or gentleness. — 大约；粗略地 40% of Europe's jet fuel travel through the Strait of Hormuz: narrow sea passage between Iran and Oman where about a fifth of the world's oil is shipped — 霍尔木兹海峡. Accordingaccord: To grant as suitable or proper; to concede or award — 给予；授予；准许 to US energy figures, Gulf oil producers cut around 7.5 million barrelsbarrel: A large cylindrical container, or a unit of measurement for oil (approximately 159 litres). — 桶；枪管；一桶的量 per day in March, and this rose to 9.1 million by April. The International Energy Agency has warned that European airports could run short of jet fuel by June if supplies do not recoverrecover: To return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength; to regain something lost. — 恢复；康复；找回. Brent crudecrude: In a natural or raw state; lacking sophistication or refinement; rough or approximate. — 粗糙的；未加工的；粗略的 oil, which had been around $69 a barrelbarrel: A large cylindrical container, or a unit of measurement for oil (approximately 159 litres). — 桶；枪管；一桶的量 before the war, has climbed to $100, and jet fuel has risen eveneven: Exactly, just, fully — 正好 faster because oil refineries cannot keep up with demanddemand: An insistent request; the desire of consumers for a particular product or service. — 需求；要求.
Airlines have responded quickly, but their actions have been unevenuneven: Not level or smooth — 不平的. SAS has already cancelled 1,000 flights for April; Lufthansa has paused Middle East services until at least the end of April; and Wizz Air has warned that its 2026 profits will fall by €50 million. Air France-KLM has doubled its long-distance fuel surchargesurcharge: An excessive price charged e.g. to an unsuspecting customer — 高价 and now adds up to €319 per leg on transatlantic: across the Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and North America — 跨大西洋的 routes. The chiefchief: Highest in rank or authority — 首席的 executiveexecutive: A senior manager in a business or organisation; the branch of government responsible for implementing laws. — 高管；行政人员 of Virgin Atlantic told the Financial Times that his airline will probably not make a profit this year. America's three biggest airlines — American, United and Delta — are particularly exposedexposed: To reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to — 暴露 because they did not buy fuel hedging: buying contracts that lock in a future fuel price, so a price rise does not increase costs — 燃油套期保值 contractscontract: A written or spoken agreement that is intended to be enforceable by law. — 合同；契约 in calmer years, and their share prices have fallen sharply. Ryanair, by contrast, had locked in fuel at $67 a barrel and has been mostly shieldedshield: To protect, to defend — 保护.
The longer routes cost more, especially because European airlines have already had to avoid Russian airspaceairspace: That part of the sky designated for the sole use of aircraft — 空域 since the Ukraine war began in 2022. The Middle East corridorcorridor: A long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms. — 走廊；通道 was the main alternative, and now it has closed too. Flights now travel through a narrow strip of airspace over Azerbaijan and formerformer: Having previously been a particular thing; of an earlier time. — 以前的；前任的 Soviet countries, adding two to four hours to some journeys and increasing fuel use by 20 to 30%. According to one aviationaviation: The art or science of making and flying aircraft — 航空业 analystanalyst: A person who examines data or situations in detail to provide insights or recommendations. — 分析师；分析员, every extra flight hour costs between $6,000 and $7,500.
The disruption is also an opportunity for some airlines. Cathay Pacific is adding direct services from Hong Kong to London and Paris, skipping the Gulf entirelyentirely: Completely; wholly; in every way. — 完全地；彻底地, while Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM are rebuildingrebuild: To build something again after it has been destroyed or damaged. — 重建；改建 their Asian networks. The direct Asia–Europe route, which Gulf hub airlines spent twenty years pushing asideaside: To one side; out of the way; apart from the main topic. — 在旁边；到一边, is reopening. Established airlines (sometimes called legacy carriers: long-established full-service airlines (such as Lufthansa or British Airways), as opposed to budget airlines — 传统航空公司) have both the financial protectionprotection: The act of keeping someone or something safe from harm or damage. — 保护；防护 of fuel hedging and the strategicstrategic: Of or pertaining to strategy — 战略性的 motivationmotivation: The reason or reasons for acting in a particular way; desire or willingness to do something. — 动力；动机 to keep these routes. A parent flying from Shanghai to London to visit a child at boarding school now has options that would have looked unattractive eighteen months ago.
None of this means Emirates, Etihad or Qatar Airways will disappear; they will almost certainly return with deep discounts once the region is stablestable: Not likely to change or fail; firmly established. — 稳定的；稳固的 again, and these will sometimes be worth taking. But the war has done something twenty years of European lobbying could not: it has shown that depending on a single hub: an airport that an airline uses as its main connecting point for many flights — 枢纽 airport is riskyrisky: Full of the possibility of danger, failure, or loss. — 有风险的；冒险的. Chinese travellers, who quietly benefited from the Gulf hub model for years, will probably notice this change first.
A fire broke out near Dubai International Airport on 16th March after a dronedrone: A male ant, bee or wasp, which does not work but can fertilize the queen bee — 雄蜂 strikestrike: A blow or application of physical force against something — 袭击 hit a fuel tanktank: A large container for storing liquid or gas; a heavy armoured military vehicle. — 容器；水箱；坦克 nearbynearby: Not far away; close at hand. — 附近的；邻近的. Dozensdozen: A group of twelve; used informally to mean a lot. — 一打；十二个 of Emirates flights had to be cancelledcancel: To invalidate or annul something — 取消, and other planes were redirected to Al Maktoum airport. Many Chinese families know this route well — Shanghai, Beijing or Hong Kong to Europe, with a short stop in the Gulf. For twenty years this has been the standard long-distance route, but since the war between Iran and a US–Israel alliancealliance: A formal agreement or union between countries, groups, or individuals for mutual benefit. — 联盟；同盟；结盟 began on 28th February, it has become a war zonezone: An area or region distinguished from adjacent parts by a distinctive feature or characteristic. — 地带；区域.
The disruptiondisruption: A disturbance or problem that interrupts an activity, event, or process. — 干扰；中断；混乱 to the airline industry is hard to overstate. About one-fifth of the world's oil and roughlyroughly: Approximately; in a way that lacks precision or gentleness. — 大约；粗略地 40% of Europe's jet fuel travel through the Strait of Hormuz: narrow sea passage between Iran and Oman where about a fifth of the world's oil is shipped — 霍尔木兹海峡. Accordingaccord: To grant as suitable or proper; to concede or award — 给予；授予；准许 to US energy figures, Gulf oil producers cut around 7.5 million barrelsbarrel: A large cylindrical container, or a unit of measurement for oil (approximately 159 litres). — 桶；枪管；一桶的量 per day in March, and this rose to 9.1 million by April. The International Energy Agency has warned that European airports could run short of jet fuel by June if supplies do not recoverrecover: To return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength; to regain something lost. — 恢复；康复；找回. Brent crudecrude: In a natural or raw state; lacking sophistication or refinement; rough or approximate. — 粗糙的；未加工的；粗略的 oil, which had been around $69 a barrelbarrel: A large cylindrical container, or a unit of measurement for oil (approximately 159 litres). — 桶；枪管；一桶的量 before the war, has climbed to $100, and jet fuel has risen eveneven: Exactly, just, fully — 正好 faster because oil refineries cannot keep up with demanddemand: An insistent request; the desire of consumers for a particular product or service. — 需求；要求.
Airlines have responded quickly, but their actions have been unevenuneven: Not level or smooth — 不平的. SAS has already cancelled 1,000 flights for April; Lufthansa has paused Middle East services until at least the end of April; and Wizz Air has warned that its 2026 profits will fall by €50 million. Air France-KLM has doubled its long-distance fuel surchargesurcharge: An excessive price charged e.g. to an unsuspecting customer — 高价 and now adds up to €319 per leg on transatlantic: across the Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and North America — 跨大西洋的 routes. The chiefchief: Highest in rank or authority — 首席的 executiveexecutive: A senior manager in a business or organisation; the branch of government responsible for implementing laws. — 高管；行政人员 of Virgin Atlantic told the Financial Times that his airline will probably not make a profit this year. America's three biggest airlines — American, United and Delta — are particularly exposedexposed: To reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to — 暴露 because they did not buy fuel hedging: buying contracts that lock in a future fuel price, so a price rise does not increase costs — 燃油套期保值 contractscontract: A written or spoken agreement that is intended to be enforceable by law. — 合同；契约 in calmer years, and their share prices have fallen sharply. Ryanair, by contrast, had locked in fuel at $67 a barrel and has been mostly shieldedshield: To protect, to defend — 保护.
The longer routes cost more, especially because European airlines have already had to avoid Russian airspaceairspace: That part of the sky designated for the sole use of aircraft — 空域 since the Ukraine war began in 2022. The Middle East corridorcorridor: A long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms. — 走廊；通道 was the main alternative, and now it has closed too. Flights now travel through a narrow strip of airspace over Azerbaijan and formerformer: Having previously been a particular thing; of an earlier time. — 以前的；前任的 Soviet countries, adding two to four hours to some journeys and increasing fuel use by 20 to 30%. According to one aviationaviation: The art or science of making and flying aircraft — 航空业 analystanalyst: A person who examines data or situations in detail to provide insights or recommendations. — 分析师；分析员, every extra flight hour costs between $6,000 and $7,500.
The disruption is also an opportunity for some airlines. Cathay Pacific is adding direct services from Hong Kong to London and Paris, skipping the Gulf entirelyentirely: Completely; wholly; in every way. — 完全地；彻底地, while Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM are rebuildingrebuild: To build something again after it has been destroyed or damaged. — 重建；改建 their Asian networks. The direct Asia–Europe route, which Gulf hub airlines spent twenty years pushing asideaside: To one side; out of the way; apart from the main topic. — 在旁边；到一边, is reopening. Established airlines (sometimes called legacy carriers: long-established full-service airlines (such as Lufthansa or British Airways), as opposed to budget airlines — 传统航空公司) have both the financial protectionprotection: The act of keeping someone or something safe from harm or damage. — 保护；防护 of fuel hedging and the strategicstrategic: Of or pertaining to strategy — 战略性的 motivationmotivation: The reason or reasons for acting in a particular way; desire or willingness to do something. — 动力；动机 to keep these routes. A parent flying from Shanghai to London to visit a child at boarding school now has options that would have looked unattractive eighteen months ago.
None of this means Emirates, Etihad or Qatar Airways will disappear; they will almost certainly return with deep discounts once the region is stablestable: Not likely to change or fail; firmly established. — 稳定的；稳固的 again, and these will sometimes be worth taking. But the war has done something twenty years of European lobbying could not: it has shown that depending on a single hub: an airport that an airline uses as its main connecting point for many flights — 枢纽 airport is riskyrisky: Full of the possibility of danger, failure, or loss. — 有风险的；冒险的. Chinese travellers, who quietly benefited from the Gulf hub model for years, will probably notice this change first.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What proportion of Europe's jet fuel normally travels through the Strait of Hormuz?
- 02
Why has Ryanair been less affected by the fuel price rise than the big American airlines?
- 03
What is the writer's main argument across the article?
- 04
How does the article suggest that the war is both a problem and an opportunity for European airlines? Use specific evidence from the text.
Suggested length: ~80 words
- 05
Explain why some airlines are protected from the fuel price increase while others have been badly affected. Give specific examples from the article.
Suggested length: ~80 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What proportion of Europe's jet fuel normally travels through the Strait of Hormuz?
- 02
Why has Ryanair been less affected by the fuel price rise than the big American airlines?
- 03
What is the writer's main argument across the article?
- 04
How does the article suggest that the war is both a problem and an opportunity for European airlines? Use specific evidence from the text.
Suggested length: ~80 words
- 05
Explain why some airlines are protected from the fuel price increase while others have been badly affected. Give specific examples from the article.
Suggested length: ~80 words