Middle Eastern hubs<\/a>, it would not void an entire policy once the air travel component is completed.<\/p>\n“War and armed conflict are standard exclusions in most travel insurance policies worldwide, as the scale and unpredictability of these events make them extremely difficult to price,” a spokesperson from the Insurance Council of Australia said.<\/p>\n
Should I cancel my flight through the Middle East?<\/p>\n
No.<\/p>\n
Don’t cancel your tickets or travel arrangements.<\/p>\n
The minute you cancel your flights, you are effectively doing a “change of mind” and can therefore lose a significant number of the consumer rights that you have.<\/p>\n
That includes refunds, travel credits or re-booking options.<\/p>\n
Airline refund and booking policies (subject to change)<\/p>\n
Middle East and Gulf carriers:<\/p>\n
Emirates: Offering full refunds if a flight is cancelled or passengers choose not to travel with flight bookings to March 31.Qatar Airways: Offering full refunds or free re-booking on the unused value of tickets for travel dates between February 28 and March 28.Etihad Airways: Passengers booked to travel between February 28 and March 21 can request a full refund or free re-booking until May 15.<\/p>\n
European and other international airlines:<\/p>\n
Lufthansa, British Airways, United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Wizz Air: Offering full refunds or free re-booking for flights to and from the Middle East for affected travel until March 15.<\/p>\n
Australia:<\/p>\n
Qantas: Continuing to operate its QF9 Perth-London service, with a refuelling stop in Singapore due to the longer route required to avoid restricted airspace.<\/p>\n
Travel Agent Finder CEO Anna Shannon said you should contact whoever you booked your trip through to confirm your options.<\/p>\n
“Airlines typically work through disruptions in date order, prioritising travellers departing soon, so sometimes it’s best to wait for the airline’s official guidance,” Ms Shannon said.<\/p>\n
As a general rule, if your airline cancels your flight, you should be entitled to a full cash refund for the part of the carriage not used or re-booked on a future flight.<\/p>\n
Loading<\/p>\n
Australian Travel Industry Association CEO Dean Long said the three Middle Eastern carriers have responded positively to helping passengers.<\/p>\n
“They’re [the airlines] reviewing and extending the window for refunds every day,” Mr Long said.<\/p>\n
Keep in mind these refunds won’t include any additional costs incurred to try and get back to your final destination.<\/p>\n
Is it too late to get travel insurance now if you’re going overseas via the Middle East soon?<\/p>\n
It depends.<\/p>\n
You still want to purchase travel insurance to cover for incidents unrelated to the conflict \u2014 such as medical emergencies, illness, accidents, lost luggage or theft.<\/p>\n
But when it comes to financial loss that has arisen from events already widely reported when the policy was purchased, that becomes uninsurable.<\/p>\n
This is called a “known event” exclusion.<\/p>\n
“Insurance is designed to cover unforeseen events, so if something is already known at the time of purchase it may not be covered,” Ms Shannon said.<\/p>\n
How Australians can protect their travel plans<\/p>\n
Don’t panic-cancel: If your flight via the Middle East is booked soon, wait for your airline to make any cancellations to preserve your refund and re-booking rights.<\/p>\n
Check alternative routes: Consider flying via Asia, North America, or carriers that avoid Middle Eastern airspace.<\/p>\n
Book flexible fares: If possible, choose tickets with cancellation options.<\/p>\n
Accommodation flexibility: Stick with free-cancellation or refundable bookings whenever possible.<\/p>\n
Use accredited travel agents: They can help navigate options, re-book flights, and advise on the safest and most efficient routes.<\/p>\n
Stay informed: Follow your airline’s app, DFAT travel advice, and Smartraveller updates to track changing conditions.<\/p>\n
Travel insurance: Most travel insurance policies don’t cover disruptions caused by war, so check coverage carefully before relying on it.<\/p>\n
In travel insurance policies the exclusions normally take the following form:<\/p>\n
You are not covered for any incident that does not occur during the period of insurance.<\/p>\n
Or;<\/p>\n
Claims which in any way relate to circumstances You knew of, or a person in Your circumstances would have reasonably known or foreseen, at the Relevant Time, that could lead to the Journey being delayed, abandoned or cancelled.<\/p>\n
If you buy travel insurance today for a Middle East trip you won’t be covered for disruption caused by this conflict.<\/p>\n
“The cut off date varies by insurer, but for most people that window has already closed for Middle East-related claims,” Mr Long said.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/c8989021163c83180640def5490c0173.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Only limited flights are operating out of key Middle Eastern hubs. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
Here’s an example of a “known event” to consider:<\/p>\n
If a traveller purchased their insurance before a volcanic eruption occurred and their flight was later cancelled because of it, their policy may respond depending on the cover.<\/p>\n
But if the insurance was purchased after the eruption had already happened and the disruption was widely known, it would likely be considered a known event.<\/p>\n
Check Smartraveller regularly as your cover can be directly affected by a destination’s travel advisory rating.<\/p>\n
UK resident unable to get home as flight prices rise above $10K<\/a><\/p>\nUK resident John McGuigan was due to go back to work weeks ago. He’s still stuck in Australia.<\/p>\n
If you’re transitioning through a “do not travel” country you may not be covered even for unrelated losses.<\/p>\n
What to look for when buying travel insurance<\/p>\n
Start by looking beyond the top-line benefits on the website and dig into the exclusions.<\/p>\n
Every product disclosure statement (PDS) has a section called general exclusions, which you should read.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest things travellers should understand is that not all travel insurance policies are the same.<\/p>\n
“Many people compare policies purely on price, but it’s really important to read the PDS and understand what the policy actually covers,” Ms Shannon said.<\/p>\n
“If it’s a lot cheaper find out why and discover what’s missing.”<\/p>\n
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