Publishing its 2025 results on 6 March, Lufthansa Group cautioned that the sudden US–Israel–Iran war has up-ended route planning for 2026 and could dent profits if jet-fuel costs continue to spike. Chief Executive Carsten Spohr told reporters in Frankfurt that the closure of Gulf airspace is “the biggest disruption to aviation since Covid-19”, forcing the carrier to reroute or suspend dozens of services. (bssnews.net)
Airports in Dubai, Doha and Bahrain—normally key transfer hubs for German business travellers to Asia and Africa—remain largely shut. Spohr said demand for alternative long-haul routings via Europe and South Africa had “sharply increased” but warned that capacity constraints and longer flight times would raise operating costs. Lufthansa is already trimming its 2026 capacity growth outlook and advising corporate travel buyers to “stress-test” budgets against worst-case oil scenarios. (bssnews.net)
For travel departments scrambling to secure new routings, it is worth remembering that visa and entry rules can change just as quickly as flight paths. Online platform VisaHQ provides a one-stop service for German passport holders and expatriates to check requirements and obtain visas for alternative hubs such as Singapore, Ethiopia or Spain, often within a few days. Its Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) lets mobility managers process multiple applications at once, streamlining compliance when last-minute diversions become unavoidable.
![Lufthansa warns corporate clients of ‘heightened uncertainty’ as Gulf airspace stays closed]()
The airline’s 2025 net profit slipped three percent to €1.34 billion as strikes and aircraft delivery delays offset record passenger numbers. Spohr confirmed that 4,000 mostly administrative jobs in Germany will be cut this year under a previously announced overhaul. (bssnews.net)
For mobility managers the warning means higher fares on affected corridors and the need to build contingency routings that avoid the Middle East. Travellers connecting to Australia, India or East Africa may need to transit via Singapore, Addis Ababa or Madrid rather than traditional Gulf hubs. Companies should also revisit travel-risk insurance: policies that exclude war zones could refuse claims for tickets on flights skirting Iran’s FIR.
While Lufthansa maintains that its balance sheet is robust, analysts note that a protracted conflict could derail the carrier’s plan to return to pre-pandemic margins by 2027. Global mobility teams should expect continuing schedule volatility and brief assignees accordingly.
Airports in Dubai, Doha and Bahrain—normally key transfer hubs for German business travellers to Asia and Africa—remain largely shut. Spohr said demand for alternative long-haul routings via Europe and South Africa had “sharply increased” but warned that capacity constraints and longer flight times would raise operating costs. Lufthansa is already trimming its 2026 capacity growth outlook and advising corporate travel buyers to “stress-test” budgets against worst-case oil scenarios. (bssnews.net)
For travel departments scrambling to secure new routings, it is worth remembering that visa and entry rules can change just as quickly as flight paths. Online platform VisaHQ provides a one-stop service for German passport holders and expatriates to check requirements and obtain visas for alternative hubs such as Singapore, Ethiopia or Spain, often within a few days. Its Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) lets mobility managers process multiple applications at once, streamlining compliance when last-minute diversions become unavoidable.
The airline’s 2025 net profit slipped three percent to €1.34 billion as strikes and aircraft delivery delays offset record passenger numbers. Spohr confirmed that 4,000 mostly administrative jobs in Germany will be cut this year under a previously announced overhaul. (bssnews.net)
For mobility managers the warning means higher fares on affected corridors and the need to build contingency routings that avoid the Middle East. Travellers connecting to Australia, India or East Africa may need to transit via Singapore, Addis Ababa or Madrid rather than traditional Gulf hubs. Companies should also revisit travel-risk insurance: policies that exclude war zones could refuse claims for tickets on flights skirting Iran’s FIR.
While Lufthansa maintains that its balance sheet is robust, analysts note that a protracted conflict could derail the carrier’s plan to return to pre-pandemic margins by 2027. Global mobility teams should expect continuing schedule volatility and brief assignees accordingly.
