Insurance Woes Stall Airlines' Return to Dubai After US-Iran Escalation

Insurance difficulties are slowing the return of some foreign airlines to Dubai, the chief executive of the company that manages the city's airports said.

"They are having difficulty getting insurance for operations," Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said in an interview.

Griffiths said operations at Dubai International Airport are "completely normal" and running at full capacity. The hub earlier this year delayed its passenger target because of the war curbing travel demand and airspace closures.

The conflict has hit the region's aviation industry. Some hubs have been damaged by airstrikes and debris. Emirates cut back operations. Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways also reworked their international networks. Emirates recently started offering war travel insurance to passengers.

Most European airlines still suspend services to large parts of the region, including Bahrain and Israel. Carriers take cautious flight paths to avoid conflict zones, narrowing corridors on routes to Asia.

Griffiths comments came after renewed strikes between the US and Iran.