Flights through US ‘astronomical’<\/p>\n
Factory worker John McGuigan was due to leave Australia to head back home to Manchester on March 1.<\/p>\n
Almost two weeks later, he’s still here.<\/p>\n
While the 57-year-old counts himself lucky that he has a place to stay with his daughter at her home in Victoria, his job doesn’t allow him to work remotely.<\/p>\n
“I work 12 hour night\/day shifts at a food-processing factory,” Mr McGuigan said.<\/p>\n
“While my management have been incredibly understanding about the situation, I need to get back to work as I can’t have it covered indefinitely.<\/p>\n
“I will be using up all the leave entitlements and in lieu days I have and expect to be making up for shifts lost due to this unplanned leave when I eventually get back.”<\/p>\n
Booking a flight through an alternative route is also increasingly out of reach for would-be travellers, as some airlines have been accused of price gouging<\/a>.<\/p>\n Airlines have been accused of raising prices for flights to Europe that avoid the Middle East. (Supplied)<\/p>\n After his Etihad flights on March 1 and March 10 were cancelled, Mr McGuigan began searching for routes that did not go through the Middle East.<\/p>\n He was quoted $11,000 for a one-way economy ticket to Manchester via Los Angeles \u2014 one flight online was even listed for $16,000 via San Francisco.<\/p>\n “The cost is astronomical,” he said.<\/p>\n “Even if I cancel my Etihad flight to get a refund to book an alternative airline and route, the refund isn’t even going to be a fraction of \u2026 the cost of a new ticket.<\/p>\n “[If I’m here for much longer] I’ll need to sort out a new tourist visa.”<\/p>\n Read more about the Iran war:<\/p>\n Singapore Airlines told the ABC earlier this week it did not engage in fare gouging.<\/p>\n “Our airfares are dynamic and subject to change, and they fluctuate based on a variety of factors, including proximity to proposed travel date, seat availability, the booking class selected, and the specific dates of the flights or itineraries,” a spokesperson said.<\/p>\n Mr McGuire had another flight booked with Etihad for March 14, but that has now also been cancelled and moved to March 16.<\/p>\n He said the airline had not called him or sent him an email or text message about the cancellation; he just happened to log into his trip management portal and noticed the date had changed.<\/p>\n LoadingLong, expensive way round the world<\/p>\n Some Aussies and foreign travellers facing a disrupted journey to Europe or back home are turning east \u2014 taking a longer, more expensive, but more certain multi-stop trip<\/a> through the US.<\/p>\n Visiting Australia for two years on a working holiday visa that was about to expire, Hope Mountford thought it was the right time to move back to the UK.<\/p>\n She didn’t expect to be left stranded in Sydney domestic airport after being de-boarded from the plane, with no greeting by Etihad staff and no way to get home.<\/p>\n Loading…<\/p>\n “There were multiple elderly passengers waiting in wheelchairs, babies crying and no staff to be seen,” Ms Mountford said.<\/p>\n “I understand the severity of the situation but the lack of communication and support from Etihad is abhorrent.”<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/09e7bbc23beec9e8d75e0eea922727d4.jpeg\")
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