Middle Eastern airlines slash air fares to Europe – but are the savings worth the risk?

• Middle East airlines have started cutting air fares in a bid to stay afloat.
• Return economy Sydney to London flights are on offer for $1500, while business class can be found for $3500.
• With clear travel warnings still in place, booking these flights could end up costing you more.

Australian holidaymakers considering a trip to Europe to join an international cruise this year have found themselves in a quandary. Cruisers are being tempted with great prices for a European summer flight by top Middle East airlines such as Etihad or Qatar Airlines.

But like all good things, there’s a catch.

For a start, there’s much speculation that these flights may not even be able to happen. And if they do take off, passengers may not be covered by their insurance.

Airlines are dropping their European flight prices over the immediate months in an attempt to draw in customers who are hesitant to book due to the Middle East conflict. Etihad has dropped prices extremely low for some European routes from Australia, with Sydney to London return flights as low as $1570, and Business Class fares as low as $3500 return, well below pre-war prices.

These flights aren’t just one offs either. You can look through the European summer months and find these fares with Etihad for all sorts of different travel dates. In theory, this would be a dream scenario for last-minute Europe flights.

However, as the war continues, oil prices soar, and Australian government travel warnings remain at the highest level for countries like Qatar and the UAE, booking a flight through the Middle East is definitely a gamble.

It is easy to see why some travellers are thinking that they could get the deal of a lifetime, that everything will clear up in the next month or so and they’ll be the last ones laughing. However, these travellers might end up planning a whole holiday around a flight that’s never even going to take off.

It appears the only thing that everyone can agree on about the conflict in Iran is that it’s a very complicated and uncertain situation, and analysts can’t say for sure when the conflict will come to an end. 

Currently flights are running through some major Middle East hubs such as Dubai, but they’re operating at a limited capacity on a reduced schedule. 

Beyond the capacity of the airports, there are other concerns as well. For example, the UAE and Qatar are currently on “Do Not Travel” status on the Australian Government’s Smart Traveller, meaning Australian travel insurance won’t kick in. This would mean, for example, if a traveller ended up stuck in the UAE or Qatar, they could not claim any losses through their insurance.

Then, as mentioned, there’s the problem that the conflict is unpredictable, and any new aggressions in the Gulf states would likely lead to the closure of airspace, potentially leaving Aussies trapped and uninsured in the Middle East, far from an ideal scenario.

With all of this in mind, some travellers may be wondering whether it’s worth taking a punt on the hard-to-resist flights in the midst of a complicated global conflict. Cruise Passenger has gathered the latest information to help you weigh up your options.

Should I book these cheap Middle East flights?

• It is not a good idea to book a flight to somewhere that Smart Traveller designates as a ‘Do Not Travel’ destination. The government warnings are in place for a reason, and it means Australia’s premier security experts have evaluated that any sort of travel through these destinations carries a major risk.
• You will not be able to insure yourself for these destinations. While acts of war are generally excluded anyway, this also means that even if you fell and twisted your ankle in the airport, you wouldn’t be covered. If there was a worst case situation on your trip, it’d be made even worse, and more costly, by the fact that you wouldn’t be insured.

Should I book the flight anyway, because if the conflict continues, the flight will be cancelled and I’ll get a refund?

• This idea sounds good in theory, but unfortunately, things aren’t quite that simple. As mentioned, flights are currently running in the Middle East, they’re just operating at a reduced schedule. 
• This means if you were to book one of these flights, it’s possible the flight will still go ahead even if the conflict is ongoing and Australia’s Smart Traveller warnings could still be in place. 
• Therefore, rather than the scenario of an easy refund, you could be faced with having to fly through a warzone, or losing your money.

What about a flexible fare through the Middle East?

• With an airline such as Etihad, you have the option of booking their ‘Deluxe’ fare, which offers unlimited changes and a free refund. 
• As far as flexibility goes, this is a much better option as you can wait to observe travel warnings and how things play out and then receive a full refund if you don’t feel safe travelling.
• However, the obvious catch is you have to pay a lot more. That $1500 Sydney to London flight quickly jumps to $2800 if you pay for the ‘Deluxe’ category which offers a free refund.
• The other problem with this strategy is that it makes it hard to plan the rest of your trip, as you don’t know if you’ll actually end up going or if you’ll take up the free refund offer. This complicates other deposits on things like hotels, cruises and tours, plus adds a lot of hassle if you end up not going on the trip.

What about the Asia hedging option?

• Cruise agent and expert Sharon Summerhayes, owner of Deluxe Travel and Cruise recommends the flexible ticket to Asia method. However, it also comes with a risk.
• She said: “I would recommend another flexible ticket purchase as insurance, if possible. One with an airline transiting Asia like Singapore Airlines, Thai, JAL etc that has a low cancellation penalty. Even if it costs you a couple of hundred dollars in cancellation fees, you have the insurance that should you not be able to take your originally booked flight, you’ll still have the option with your ‘insurance’ ticket.”
• This is a great strategy for making sure that no matter what, you’ll find a way to Europe. The only problem is as mentioned above, it’s possible your flight will be operating even if the conflict is ongoing, which means you wouldn’t receive a refund and you’d be left paying for two flights. 

So, what should I do about those cheap flights to Europe?

• Cruise Passenger’s experts say that if you want to make sure you can make your Europe trip this summer, get a flight that goes through Asia and lock it down as fast as you can.
• There are still flights with lines like China Southern, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific and more that can get you to Europe and back for less than $2500 this summer. While you might have to deal with a bit more travel time than an easy stopover in Dubai, it takes a lot of stress and risk out of your holiday. Click here for a full guide on alternative ways to Europe.
• However, due to the high demand, these flights are expected to rise soon, so if you want to make your trip this year, you should book as soon as possible.
• If a European cruise or trip is causing you too much stress, consider some alternative destinations from our guide here.