Australians are choosing cheaper airfares over safer flights to get to Europe by transiting through the Middle East, despite federal government warnings about escalating conflict, airspace closures and missile strikes.
The month-long war has caused chaos in one of the world’s busiest aviation regions, with thousands of flights cancelled globally since the conflict began.
Middle Eastern carriers are now slashing their fares, with Sydney to London flights for next month being sold for as little as $1,400 return, while some Asian and American airlines are charging more than three times that for the same period.
There is currently a “do not travel” warning in place for much of the Middle East, including Dubai. (ABC News: Lucas Hill)
“What we’re seeing is that at these price points, people are taking the plunge, they’re looking at the fares, the service these airlines provide, and deciding it’s worth the risk,” Australian Travel Industry Association CEO Dean Long said.
He said both Emirates and Qatar were preparing to add more cheap flights over the coming weeks.
“We had about 153 flights [per week] prior to the conflict and we will be getting back to somewhere between 70 and 80 flights a week from Australia through to the Middle East,” he said.
Australian Travel Industry Association CEO Dean Long says many people are still booking flights via the busy aviation hub. (ABC News: Billy Cooper)
“The Middle East will likely remain cheaper than other routes for some time, simply because people are nervous and demand hasn’t fully returned.”
But he said, while tensions in the region had rattled traveller confidence, many Australians were continuing with their long-booked flights.
“Planes heading to the Middle East aren’t 100 per cent full, but they’re very well patronised … over 80 per cent at the moment,” Mr Long said.
A new ‘kangaroo route?’ Qantas shifts strategy as Middle East routes collapse
However, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has added much of the Middle East, including Dubai, to its “do not travel” list, including stopovers.
Smartraveller advises Australians not to travel to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the UAE and Yemen.
It has also asked travellers to reconsider the need to travel to Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia and exercise a high degree of caution in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Egypt and Turkey.
Iran war live updates: For the latest news on the Middle East conflict, read our blog.
‘If it’s too risky, they wouldn’t fly’
Julia Hennessy said she spent days weighing up whether to cancel her flight from Melbourne to London via Dubai last weekend.
She had been visiting her son but needed to get back to the United Kingdom to see her daughter.
“We looked at other flights to avoid the Middle East, and they were a lot longer and much more money,” Ms Hennesy said.
Julia Hennessy (middle), pictured with her daughter in law Aditi, son Callan and grandson, Devin, flew via Dubai to visit her family in Melbourne. (Supplied)
“I just said, ‘I’m just going to hold on to the ticket’ … I’m sure if it’s too risky, they wouldn’t fly.”
She said it was business as usual on the plane and at Dubai International Airport.
“People were really relaxed … there wasn’t a sense of feeling unsafe,” she said.
“You wouldn’t have known there was a war going on.”Euro summer in limbo
China-based businessman Tony Roberts made the trip to Europe via Dubai two weeks ago and said he planned to travel via the Middle East again next month.
“I did feel concerned leading up to the flight, however I was monitoring the situation closely each day,” Mr Roberts said.
He said Dubai International Airport was busy.
“All restaurants at my hotel were open and I enjoyed a few hours by the pool before dinner,” he said.
Earlier this week, United States President Donald Trump said the US would leave Iran “very soon”, estimating a timeframe of “two weeks, maybe three”.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said more than 10,000 Australians had returned home from the Middle East since March 4, a week after the joint US-Israel attacks on Iran.
Sydney to London return flights (12 May – 3 June, Economy):
Pricing as of Thursday, April 1
Airline OriginAirline Price (AUD) Stopover Location Middle East Etihad Airways $1,438 Abu Dhabi Emirates $2,015 Dubai Qatar Airways $2,224 Doha AsiaChina Southern $2,208 Guangzhou Cathay Pacific $3,162 Hong Kong Singapore Airlines $3,199 Singapore (Changi) Japan Airlines $3,385 Tokyo Malaysia Airlines $3,417 Kuala Lumpur Australia Qantas $3,818 Singapore / Perth North America United Airlines $3,955 San Francisco Air Canada $4,023 Vancouver Europe British Airways $3,472 Singapore