It's not just crude oil transportation; currently, there is only a

# Zhao Ying

Source: WallStreetCN

Iran’s drone attack on Azerbaijan has led to an abrupt closure of its southern airspace, forcing Eurasian routes into a narrow corridor only about 50 miles wide. Combined with Russian no-fly restrictions and limited airspace access across multiple Middle Eastern countries, Western carriers have nearly run out of alternative routes. Qantas has already announced a refueling stop in Singapore for its London–Perth service. Experts warn that if northern airspace also closes, ultra-long-haul routes such as London–Sydney could exceed the range limits of some aircraft types.

Iran’s drone attack on Azerbaijan is pushing air corridors between Europe and Asia to their limit.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on March 5 saying that the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan had come under a drone attack from Iranian territory earlier that day, leaving two people injured.

This development, layered on top of airspace restrictions in Iran, Iraq, and Qatar due to Middle Eastern hostilities, plus the longstanding ban on Western airlines overflying Russia, has created multiple blockades on east–west Eurasian air routes. Following the attack, Azerbaijan’s southern airspace was closed, forcing Eurasian flights into a narrow corridor only about 50 miles (roughly 80 kilometers) wide, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

Industry experts warn that if Azerbaijan’s northern airspace is also closed, some flights will have to reduce passenger loads or even detour thousands of miles via the southern end of the Persian Gulf. Under that scenario, the world’s longest routes – such as London to Australia – could exceed the maximum range of some aircraft.

Thousands of flights operate between Europe and Asia every day. With transit hubs like Dubai disrupted, passenger traffic has become unusually concentrated. Virgin Atlantic has warned that flight times to India and the Maldives will be longer, while stressing that aircraft always carry sufficient fuel. Qantas, meanwhile, has announced it will add a refueling stop in Singapore on its London–Perth route, directly citing fuel pressures from rerouting.

## Attack closes southern Azerbaijan airspace, corridor narrows sharply

According to the Financial Times, Baku blamed the drone attack on Iran, prompting an immediate shutdown of Azerbaijan’s southern airspace. Flight data from Flightradar24 shows that after the strike, overflying flights began hugging the northern border between Azerbaijan and Russia, with usable airspace only about 50 miles wide.

This corridor is currently the last relatively viable path for Western airlines to maintain Europe–Asia services amid ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.

Closures of Iranian, Iraqi, and Qatari airspace have already drastically shrunk available routes, while the Russian overflight ban prevents Western carriers from taking northern shortcuts like their Chinese counterparts. The shutdown of Azerbaijan’s southern airspace has further narrowed an already limited set of options.

## Closure of northern airspace would hit Australian routes hardest

Northern Azerbaijani airspace – including Baku’s main airport – remains open for now. However, Andrew Charlton, an aviation consultant at Aviation Advocacy specializing in global air traffic, warned that if northern airspace also closes, flights would be forced to detour via the southern Persian Gulf, adding thousands of extra miles.

“This bottleneck is most severe for airlines that cannot overfly Russia and will only add to geopolitical complexity,” Charlton said. He noted that some flights may need to limit passenger numbers to complete their journeys.

“Qantas’ London–Sydney would struggle, probably London–Perth as well. Sometimes these are commercial decisions by airlines, not governments.”

Qantas announced this week that it will add a refueling stop in Singapore on the London–Perth route. British Airways and Qantas both operate London–Australia services with intermediate stops, providing some flexibility under current conditions.

## Major European carriers disrupted, Australasia routes suspended widely

Due to Qatari airspace closures, several popular Australasia routes via Doha have been suspended this week. Air France, KLM, and Lufthansa operate high-frequency services between Europe and Asia, while Cathay Pacific maintains regular Hong Kong–London flights. Turkish Airlines carries large volumes of Asian traffic but benefits from its Istanbul hub, where it can refuel locally, giving it more room to adjust routes.

Meanwhile, disruptions to Gulf hubs such as Dubai have sharply increased demand for direct Europe–Asia flights and alternative transit options, putting even more pressure on already strained air routes.

Observers note that what makes the current situation unusual is that geopolitical risk is spreading from maritime shipping to aviation, with physical connectivity between Europe and Asia under systemic strain not seen in years.

## Risk Warning and Disclaimer

The market is subject to risks, and investment requires caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice, nor does it take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situations, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article align with their particular circumstances. Any investment made based on this article is at one’s own risk.