Some carriers in the Middle East are starting a gradual return to normal operations as airspace restrictions are eased in some countries after the USA and Iran agreed a two-week ceasefire. Aviation authorities in Iraq, Bahrain and Syria have lifted notices to airmen (NOTAMs) that previously barred operation of civilian flights in their airspace. Israel has eased some limits, though its airspace is still formally closed. Airspace in Kuwait and Iran remains closed, while Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have partially opened airspace access. With the opening of its home airspace, Gulf Air started operating a limited schedule of departures from Bahrain International airport on 9 April, to Thiruvananthapuram, Riyadh, Jeddah, Kochi and Dubai. Other routes are to resume over the coming two days. None of the routes will be operated at greater than thrice-weekly frequency, and the carrier is maintaining operations from the King Fahd International airport in Dammam to several destinations. Qatar Airways says it has published a revised schedule "reflecting the gradual increase in flights to and from Doha reaching more than 120 destinations by mid-May 2026". It adds: "All flights to and from Doha continue to operate through dedicated flight corridors established in close co-ordination with the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority." Etihad Airways, meanwhile, says it is in a "phased resumption" of operating to around 80 destinations from its Abu Dhabi hub, and that the schedule is "being expanded carefully and responsibly as conditions allow". El Al says that from the week beginning 13 April it will restore services to around 30 destinations across Europe, the USA and Asia, although sales for outbound flights from Israel remain suspended until 18 April. "Over the course of the month, we will continue to gradually expand the number of destinations, until a full return to operations across our entire network," it adds.

The price of jet kerosene continues to sit at its recent high levels amid an "acute" shortage of product, according to energy information service ICIS. It notes that jet fuel for delivery to northwest Europe was assessed at $1,887.75 per tons on 7 April, up 8.5% week on week and from around $650 at the start of the year. ICIS, which is part of RELX, notes that buyers are holding back from making large purchases at current prices, despite limited available volumes. "[The] European physical jet-fuel market is experiencing acute supply-driven tightness, with prices and refining margins surging to record levels amid disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict," writes ICIS. "Market liquidity remains thin, with sellers retreating at elevated levels while buyers continue to secure limited volumes through necessity-driven bidding." It adds that jet fuel availability has "tightened sharply" with inventories falling and an inbound flow of product from the USA and West Africa unable to make up for a shortfall of supplies that would normally arrive from the Middle East. High demand for diesel, which like jet fuel is a middle distillate, means that refineries are continuing to prioritise that product and holding back from shifting to kerosene, notes ICIS. The result is that jet fuel is "now widely viewed as the most stressed barrel", it writes. Prices for delivery to Singapore fell slightly to $221 per barrel, although that compares with around $80 at the start of the year. ICIS notes that Asia has been hurt by a cut in refinery runs because of a shortfall in Middle Eastern crude imports, as well as the loss of product shipments. Around 80-90% of Gulf crude exports go to Asia, notes ICIS: primarily China, India, Japan and South Korea. In the USA, product delivery to New York harbour rose by 31 cents per US gallon to $4.33, up from less than $2 at the start of the year.

Qatar Airways has removed its Airbus A380s from service until June, according to schedules data. The data shows that none of the airline's 10 A380s are scheduled to fly for the remainder of April and May, only returning with 66 weekly services in June. Through June 2025, the airline made 84 weekly services with the aircraft, and by July this year Qatar Airways plans to operate them for 92 services. The removal of Qatar Airway's A380s from service while other widebody jets remain active, mirrors the situation during the pandemic when the four-engined aircraft was quickly taken out of schedules. A380s were also frequently the last widebody aircraft returned to service, with some carriers, such as Air France, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways and China Southern, removing them entirely. Back in 2021, Qatar Airways itself said it was only "reluctantly" returning some of its A380s back to operation following Covid-19 because it had a lack of available widebody capacity. Fleets data shows that two of Qatar Airways' 10 A380s (MSN 137 and 143) have been parked since 2020.