Q What do you reckon about booking flights for June which transit through the Middle East? I’m flying from Bangkok to Europe for a summer break. There are cheap flights going via Qatar or Bahrain.
Daniel N
A While I have a record of being over-optimistic on a range of travel issues, I would happily book via either nation. Qatar Airways of Doha, and Gulf Air, based in Bahrain, are both excellent carriers who will be desperate to get passengers back on board. I would actually widen your search to include Emirates via Dubai and Etihad via Abu Dhabi, to whom the same applies. (If you want to have a stopover along the way, Etihad will throw in a couple of nights in Abu Dhabi for a nominal fee.)
It is difficult to see the conflict continuing for another two months. Assuming a deal is reached to end the attacks on Iran and retaliation against Gulf states, I envisage the Foreign Office will swiftly lift its warning against travel to Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. At present, FCDO advice is to avoid the airports in those countries.
It will not be possible for the airlines to suddenly flick a switch and resume 100 per cent operations, but any routes that they are currently selling can, I think, be considered firm commitments. Bangkok is a key point of origin and destination for all the Middle East airlines. I would not, though, book just yet. Once the skies fully reopen, a key driver to get people back on board the planes will be to cut fares. That applies especially for close-in dates (including June), to avoid the ignominy of flying empty aircraft around.
If I am wrong, though, there will be a downside. The current fuel issues in Asia could lead to a reduction in flights, which in turn will push up fares. In such an event, you are likely to find the cheapest deals to be via China – a much longer route, and one that involves flying over Russia.
Should I go ahead with my May trip to the Philippines?
Q I’ve just read your piece about possible holiday flight cancellations as a result of the Iran war. I have a trip booked to the Philippines for the last two weeks of May. You wrote that if you were on a backpacking trip in Southeast Asia relying on budget airlines, you would be concerned. I don’t mind some travel disruption, such as delays, but I obviously don’t want to be in a position where I can’t fly out of the country. Should I cancel the trip altogether?
Tara C
A Sorry to have worried you; please don’t cancel the trip. The background: as the Iran war drags on, airlines across the world, but especially in Asia, are cancelling flights. Sometimes this is purely a commercial move: the giant US carrier, United, is trimming its schedule by eliminating flights that were only marginally profitable with low oil prices, and are rendered loss-making when the cost of fuel soars. But in Asia, where supplies of the standard Jet A-1 fuel are largely sourced from the Gulf, advance flight cancellations are taking place.
In the Philippines, where a “national energy emergency” has been declared, flight schedules have been thinned out. Some routes have been cancelled altogether, while others have seen frequency reductions. Neither of these cuts is good for travellers, but assuming you are sticking to mainstream routes, there is every chance you will travel more or less as normal. Your chosen flight may be “consolidated” with another departure, eg moved an hour or two earlier or later. On a route from the popular holiday island of Cebu to Manila, there are dozens of flights each day, and plenty of reasonably low-cost departures are still available.
The prospects of being stuck in the Philippines are vanishingly low. Were your carrier to cancel altogether, there will be an obvious alternative: claiming a refund and flying with one of the Gulf-based airlines. Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways are keen to get “back in the game” and will do whatever is necessary to secure fuel. At present, their hubs – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha – are on the Foreign Office no-go list. But I predict this will soon change. So enjoy an almost care-free trip.
Will Dubrovnik disruption blow a hole in our pocket?
Q My flight from Dubrovnik to Manchester was cancelled on Wednesday night. We’ve had to book a hotel and buy another flight. The cost is running into hundreds of pounds. What are my rights to claim the money back?
Jo S
A It has been a miserable couple of days for airlines flying to and from the southern Croatian airport due to severe weather. Dubrovnik is one of the trickiest airports in Europe for pilots, who must have special training to land there. It is also highly susceptible to disruption in the event of high winds and low visibility. Diversions of flights from the UK began on Wednesday morning, with easyJet’s arrival from Gatwick ending up in Tirana, Albania. Other flights during the day returned to their starting points or landed at a range of Balkan and Italian airports.
Thursday proved disruptive as well, with easyJet from Gatwick going to Split and Jet2 from Manchester touching down in Zagreb. Both airlines aim to fly on to Dubrovnik when conditions permit, not least because they have hundreds of passengers waiting to leave.
The sheer scale of disruption helps to explain why the airline was not able to provide a hotel room, as air passengers’ rights rules stipulate it should have done. Those inbound flights were supposed to fly thousands of people home. With pressure already intense on hotels in the area, finding rooms would have posed a big problem for carriers.
In such cases, the airlines are allowed to ask passengers to fend for themselves on the understanding that costs will be refunded. If the cancelling airline does not have an alternative way home over the next day, then you are also entitled to claim for a new flight on a different airline. The airline must also meet your incidental costs, including meals (itemised receipt needed, no alcohol allowed) and transport between the airport and your hotel. Cash compensation on top is not applicable because severe weather is regarded as beyond the airlines’ control.
Should I change my flight to Indonesia, despite the cost?
Q I read your piece about flying through Abu Dhabi recently. I am actually flying from London to Indonesia on 17 April with Etihad, but am considering cancelling and rebooking with Cathay Pacific. However, it’s much more expensive. What are your thoughts? From what I can see, the flights are taking off and landing pretty much as scheduled, but I am feeling a bit nervous about it now.
Annabel N
A From the outset, I must point out that the Foreign Office warns against all but essential travel to the entire United Arab Emirates. I have asked the FCDO whether it could soften its stance to allow “airside transit” through both Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports, as it does in some parts of the world. But officials insist the whole country is at risk. The government’s travel advice says: “Iran continues to strike civilian infrastructure across the region such as ports, hotels … and airports.” I do not sense any willingness to change the advice for as long as the Iran war lasts.
Having said that, many thousands of British travellers change planes in the UAE every day without a problem. While they are in transit in a location on the Foreign Office no-go list, their travel insurance is temporarily suspended. In practice, though, if you needed to claim for an incident unrelated to the war – such as loss or sudden sickness – you would be covered by the normal terms of your policy.
As you mentioned, I connected at Abu Dhabi airport last month on a journey from Jakarta to London Heathrow. The only notable element was that the terminal was eerily empty. My motivation was to save money – and time. Other routings, including Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong, are both much more expensive and longer. You would spend at least five hours longer in the air than the reasonably direct route from London to Jakarta on Etihad via Abu Dhabi.
I would happily repeat the experience on this good-quality airline. The flight crew, aviation authority and carrier will not operate a flight if they detect any danger. The main downside to consider is the non-zero risk of a diversion, or even being flown back to your starting point, in the event of a sudden attack.
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