Why China's airlines suffer more from the Iran war than global rivals

ZHENGZHOU, CHINA - MAY 16: China Southern Airlines aircraft are seen parked at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport on May 16, 2026, in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty Images China's biggest airline stocks have suffered more than others since the war in Iran began, as a combination of factors weighs them down. The country's carriers are caught in a pincer of higher fuel costs and a price-wary domestic market being eroded by high-speed rail. …