Iran war hits air travel. Calcutta was the OG aviation hub long before Dubai's rise

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has triggered widespread disruptions in global air travel, with Dubai International Airport—one of the world’s busiest transit hubs—suffering severe operational challenges. The war’s escalation, marked by drone and missile exchanges, forced airlines to cancel or reroute flights, including a Manchester-to-New Delhi route via Germany that was booked by 22-year-old student Priyanshu Narayan. Narayan’s planned March trip home was delayed by a week due to flight cancellations, leaving him stranded until alternative routes became available. Dubai’s role as a critical aviation hub connecting 270 destinations has been compromised, disrupting travel between Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Australia. While Germany was not directly involved in the conflict, its airports experienced cascading cancellations linked to Middle Eastern route closures. The disruption underscores how global aviation networks rely on stable transit points like Dubai, which now faces operational strain from the war. Historically, India’s Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) held a similar position as a global aviation hub before Dubai’s rise. Dum Dum Airport, now the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, was a key stopover for major airlines like KLM, Imperial Airways, and Air Orient from the 1920s to the 1960s. Flights from London to Australia and Paris to Saigon frequently passed through Kolkata, cementing its status as a major transit point for military, cargo, mail, and passenger traffic. Today, Kolkata Airport operates primarily as a gateway to Southeast Asia, with few direct long-haul flights beyond the region. Other Indian airports, including those in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru, have expanded their routes, while New Delhi and Mumbai remain the country’s dominant aviation centers. Kolkata-based travelers abroad continue to advocate for restored direct connections, reflecting nostalgia for the city’s former global aviation prominence. The current crisis in the Middle East serves as a reminder of how geopolitical instability can reshape global travel networks, while Kolkata’s decline highlights the shifting dynamics of international aviation hubs over the past century.