Segment and OD demand from Europe to the UAE and Qatar:Trends and potentials for new direct flights

Air transport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar has experienced rapid growth. From a European perspective, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Doha are primarily perceived as transfer hubs for long-haul traffic to and from the “Eastern Hemisphere”. Yet both countries are increasingly emerging as significant destinations and points of origin in their own right. Despite this, limited research has addressed the development of origin-destination (OD) passenger flows from and to these Gulf states. This paper presents a descriptive analysis of (1) the evolution of segment and OD passenger numbers from Europe to the UAE and Qatar, and (2) major OD flows that seem under- or unserved, which could hence represent potential opportunities for new or additional direct air services. The analysis is based on ‘Sabre MI’ data at both segment (“leg”) and OD levels.