Commenting on flight disruptions in the Middle East, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said that with Middle East air hubs closed, Asia-Pacific carriers with many flights to Europe, like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, could benefit in the short run because they have more Asia-to-Europe flights than competing carriers such as Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways. He noted that while oil prices have climbed, they are still far from the peaks seen in recent years, adding that airline fuel hedging will cover for a few months, which may be enough for things to return to normal. Asst Prof Fan cautioned that this conflict was wider than those seen before and different from others ordered by US President Donald Trump.
