Europe–Asia air routings that carry refinery-origin bullion to Hong Kong and Singapore cross the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency keeps that airspace under a standalone Conflict Zone Information Bulletin, CZIB-2026-07R2, issued on 14 July 2026, revised on 31 August 2026 and listed as active until 30 September 2026. The single regional bulletin that previously covered the same water, 2026-03-R14 on the airspace of the Middle East and Persian Gulf, was withdrawn on 8 July 2026. Separate active bulletins now run for the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, each issued on 8 July 2026, and for Jordan from 22 July 2026.
A CZIB does not close airspace. It binds operators subject to Commission Regulation (EU) 965/2012 and third-country operators flying under an EASA TCO authorisation, and it requires them to hold a current risk assessment for the airspace concerned. The operational step that moves is carrier authorisation — which operators will accept a given leg, and on what routing — and behind it the delivery window written into a release instruction. A bulletin revised on 31 August and expiring on 30 September puts a review date under the routing assumption behind any delivery date quoted for October. Where a routing lengthens, the leg gains transit hours and, in some cases, a transhipment point, and each handling point is a further weight and seal verification recorded against the weight list. Bars leaving Heraeus in Hanau or Argor-Heraeus in Mendrisio travel as commercial air cargo on scheduled services, so the routing belongs to the carrier and not to the shipper.
CZIB-2026-07R2 is an advisory addressed to air operators and their authorities. Airspace itself is closed or restricted by the states concerned, through their own aeronautical publications and NOTAMs, and carrier selection, routing and delivery windows remain matters for the operator and the freight contract.