Australians planning to fly to Europe this summer face uncertainty over routes, insurance and safety, as well as rising prices, due to the Middle East war. Major airlines like Emirates and Qatar are operating limited flights, causing backlogs in Dubai and Doha.
Qantas has increased fares on international routes in response to rising jet fuel costs. The airline reports that flights on European routes, including Perth-London and Perth-Paris, are over 90% full in March, about 15 percentage points higher than normal. The non-stop Perth-London service is temporarily flying via Singapore to add 60 extra seats per flight.
Griffith University tourism lecturer Zara Zarezadeh says travellers may choose alternative destinations or transit hubs like Singapore to avoid conflict zones. This can result in longer flying times or higher costs for direct routes. Some may opt for refundable tickets, which carry their own expense.
Tourism Australia maintains that the country is open to visitors, though it is monitoring travel restrictions. Qantas encourages customers to book early as lower fare options are selling quickly.
