FCM Travel and Corporate Traveller from Flight Centre Travel Group have outlined the routes still available to Australian travellers heading to and from Europe as the conflict in the Middle East continues.
“The safety and well-being of our customers and staff is our top priority during this challenging time – we’re closely and actively monitoring the situation,” said Melissa Elf, Global COO, FCM Travel and Corporate Traveller.
“We understand the urgency for travellers to secure a safe return home, and there is some good news in that department.
“The majority of Europe to Australia flight connections operate via Asian hubs, not the Middle East, including Singapore, Hong Kong, and other major regional airports, with these routes continuing to operate normally.
“Passengers transferring via Asia – especially Singapore, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur – have become very popular in the last few days.
Travel Managers and passengers should note that seat availability on these alternative routes is limited and subject to rapid change. Securing a booking requires prompt action and flexibility.
“As a travel management company, we continue to assist as we can access different inventory systems, manage re-bookings, and handle ticketing complexities, significantly easing the burden on travellers and their companies,” Elf said.
Europe via Asia (non-Middle East) to and from Australia:
- Singapore Airlines (via Singapore)
- Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong)
- Malaysia Airlines (via Kuala Lumpur)
- Thai Airways (via Bangkok)
- China Southern/China Eastern (via Chinese cities)
- EVA Air/China Airlines (via Taipei)
- Qantas (via Singapore on some routes).
Europe via other routes:
- Qantas (direct to London via Perth)
- Various European carriers with Asian codeshares
- Options to fly to/from via the USA/Canada.
Australians coming home
LATEST: The first commercial flight carrying Australians out of the Middle East – Emirates flight UAE414 / EK414 – is due to land at Sydney Airport at 10.27 tonight, just ahead of curfew.
The Federal Government says there are currently about 115,000 Australians in the Middle East region at present with 24,000 stranded in the United Arab Emirates.
Many stranded passengers had accommodation and meal costs covered by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, after the ongoing military strikes between the US, Israel, and Iran.
On 1 March, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced that the state would “bear all hosting and accommodation costs for affected and stranded passengers”.
“In light of current circumstances, and given that some guests have reached their check-out date but are unable to travel for reasons beyond their control, we kindly request that you extend their stay until they are able to depart,” read a circular issued to hotels by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
“The cost of the extended stay will be covered by DCT Abu Dhabi.”
Similarly, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has asked hotels to offer guests the option of extending their stay on the same terms as their original booking.
Since military operations began on 28 February, hundreds of thousands of passengers have been unable to leave the region.
Airspace closures and airport disruptions
Regional airspace restrictions are severely impacting commercial aviation. Flight operations are currently suspended at major airports including:
- Bahrain International Airport (BAH)
- Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA)
- Baghdad International Airport (BGW)
- Erbil International Airport (EIA)
- Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)
- Hamad International Airport (DOH)
Other key hubs, including Dubai International Airport (DXB), Zayed International Airport (AUH), Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY), Muscat International Airport (MCT), and Amman Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), are operating on a limited or irregular basis. Kuwait International Airport (KWI) is experiencing delays, and operational status remains uncertain.
