Many airlines are already sharing their concerns regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, claiming that this conflict could decrease future profits.
A United Airlines aircraft takes off in front of New York City's skyline at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on March 9, 2023. - Airlines and unions disagree on many aspects relating to today's tight labor market but concur on at least one thing: the need to diversify the pilot workforce pool.
Several travel firms already confirmed that their bookings have dropped in recent weeks because of the war in the Middle East.
Statistics also showed that international flight bookings drastically decreased weeks after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.
Airlines Expect Israel-Hamas War to Decrease Future Profits
ForwardKeys, a travel analytics firm, said that international flight bookings decreased 20% compared to 2019 levels three weeks after the deadly terrorist attack of the Hamas militant group.
Comparing it to the weeks before the Hamas attack, booking levels were 5% less. Experts said that many travelers are now scared to visit the Middle East and other countries since the Hamas group killed over 1,200 civilians, as well as took 240 hostages.
Days after the Hamas terrorist attack happened, major airlines decided to suspend or reduce their flights to Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, as CNBC reported.
But, the issue here is that even travel to non-Middle Eastern countries and regions also declined because passengers were afraid of being victims of terrorist attacks.
Now, numerous airlines are concerned regarding the negative effects of the Israel-Hamas war on their future profits. One of these is United Airlines, which said that the conflict could "eat" into its profits in the last three months of 2023.
Read Also: Hong Kong's Airlines to Boost Tourism by Offering Free Flight Tickets! How Can You Qualify?
Non-Middle Eastern Locations Also Unsafe
A masked flight attendant passes out refreshments on a flight from San Francisco, California to Newark, New Jersey on October 27, 2020. Although virus dissemination on flights is low when people are able to be socially distant, the extremely hard-hit airline industry is having to consolidate flights, further complicating the dilemma.
NBC News reported that federal officials warn passengers to be extra alert and cautious even if they are visiting non-Middle Eastern countries and other locations.
They said that travelers should be wary if they are visiting popular tourist locations since these places could be the next targets of Hamas and other terrorist groups.
To ensure that passengers know the safety measures they need to take in case of terrorist attacks, officials suggest following the State Department's accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.
This will allow them to receive the latest updates regarding potential terrorist attacks or other violent events. If you want to learn more about travel safety during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, you can click here.
Related Article: Hamas Attack Update: AA, Other Major Airlines Cancel Flights to Israel-Here's What FAA Says In Updated NOTAM
