Middle East Airspace Diversions/Cancellations

[IrishPete]

"If you have a confirmed booking with a travel date between 28 February and 22 March 2026, you are eligible for: Complimentary date changes of up to 14 days from the original travel date, or a refund of the unused value of your ticket."

I'm still waiting for the Velocity Points to be refunded, from cancelling over a week ago (flights were due to be on 7 March).

I haven't checked whether the cash copayment has been refunded - that will require some forensic digging into my credit card accounts.

The new UK visa/ETA rules nearly caught me out, as the replacement flights I booked from Dublin to Australia, transited Heathrow (BA to London, Qantas to Singapore). And British Airways said I needed authority to enter the UK, which I couldn't prove as I now travel on my Australian passport, despite having UK citizenship. They eventually relented and allowed me to board.

My partner (Canadian) applied for an obtained an ETA as we waited, but in the end no-one checked, so that was 18 pounds wasted. Likewise, nobody in Heathrow checked me at all.

 

[Aeryn]

Million‑dollar question: Would you book two Emirates J reward seats (LIS → DBX→ SYD) on 3 June?

Pros: The origin location and date are exactly what I need.
Cons: War

However as the war was a known event when you booked no insurer will cover you. So even if limited flights proceed you are on your own if something goes wrong.

All indications currently are there will be months more of this conflict.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm still waiting for the Velocity Points to be refunded, from cancelling over a week ago (flights were due to be on 7 March).

I haven't checked whether the cash copayment has been refunded - that will require some forensic digging into my credit card accounts.

The new UK visa/ETA rules nearly caught me out, as the replacement flights I booked from Dublin to Australia, transited Heathrow (BA to London, Qantas to Singapore). And British Airways said I needed authority to enter the UK, which I couldn't prove as I now travel on my Australian passport, despite having UK citizenship. They eventually relented and allowed me to board.

My partner (Canadian) applied for an obtained an ETA as we waited, but in the end no-one checked, so that was 18 pounds wasted. Likewise, nobody in Heathrow checked me at all.

If you are in transit only at LHR, not crossing the border, you don’t need an ETA.

ETA’s aren’t physically checked, they're linked to your passport and provide a ‘board’ or ‘do not board’.

If you did not cross the border, BA allowed you to board because you didn’t need an ETA. Same with your partner.

Did you cross the border?

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

If you are in transit only at LHR, not crossing the border, you don’t need an ETA.

I don't think that's quite right: Visa to pass through the UK in transit

This suggests an ETA is required including for transit. Whether it's managed in practice I don't know, but it's technically required.

 

[Seat0B]

Wonderful news. As well, I think in celebration of their arrival you must rather have a rusk and a red latte.

Loving the use of the modal South African “must” there @FlyingKangaroo. I’ll do it now now.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

However as the war was a known event when you booked no insurer will cover you. So even if limited flights proceed you are on your own if something goes wrong.

All indications currently are there will be months more of this conflict.

Yes, I wouldn't be booking these unless prepared to forego the trip without back-up flights.

That said, if we're still seeing major disruptions to air travel in June, we'll likely be seeing major oil and gas disruptions in June, in which case, I dare say the world is going to be a very different place for all of us with far bigger worries than air travel.

Loving the use of the modal South African “must” there @FlyingKangaroo. I’ll do it now now.

You can take the man out of.... I am what I am!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't think that's quite right: Visa to pass through the UK in transit

This suggests an ETA is required including for transit. Whether it's managed in practice I don't know, but it's technically required.

An ETA is not a visa.

The ETA page outlines on who does *not* need an ETA: Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK

This includes:

• you’re transiting through a UK airport and you will not pass through border control - check with your airline if you are not sure

There are only two airports in the UK offering direct INT->INT airside transfers where you don’t need to cross the border, those being LHR and MAN. But that fits the OP’s itinerary.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

An ETA is not a visa.

The ETA page is outlines on who does *not* need an ETA: Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK

This includes:

• you’re transiting through a UK airport and you will not pass through border control - check with your airline if you are not sure

There are only two airports in the UK offering direct INT->INT airside transfers where you don’t need to cross the border, those being LHR and MAN. But that fits the OP’s itinerary.

There appears to be some ambiguous wording here that I can see causing the confusion for people. The link you've posted clearly states you don't need an ETA, yet the link I posted could be read to suggest you do.


You don't need a transit visa if, among others, you have a valid ETA. Nothing here stating that an ETA is not required for otherwise ETA-eligible pax as long as they remain airside. So one could easily take from this that they either need a Direct Transit Visa or meet one of the conditions listed, e.g., having an ETA, and thus think they need one to satisfy this requirement.

Your link is the most specific and thus should be correct but they could do well to make this clearer across their help pages.

 

[IrishPete]

If you are in transit only at LHR, not crossing the border, you don’t need an ETA.

ETA’s aren’t physically checked, they're linked to your passport and provide a ‘board’ or ‘do not board’.

If you did not cross the border, BA allowed you to board because you didn’t need an ETA. Same with your partner.

Did you cross the border?

It's extremely complicated coming from Ireland (to/through mainland UK), because of the Common Travel Area.

Did I cross a border? Multiple times between Dublin and Northern Ireland, where I stayed!

Did I cross a border between Dublin and London? Yes, but the CTA means there's no border control in Heathrow. So we didn't pass through any immigration checks. (Establishing that in advance was quite difficult - I spent a lot of time on the internet trying to find out.)

I get that airlines can be fined, but they also know that there's no checking. Which is presumably why they allowed me to board.

I was also hoping for and expecting some leniency (from UK Immigration), given that I never had any intention of visiting mainland UK, but the removal of so many airlines from the market, massively reduced the options for getting from Ireland back to Australia.

 

[IrishPete]

There appears to be some ambiguous wording here that I can see causing the confusion for people. The link you've posted clearly states you don't need an ETA, yet the link I posted could be read to suggest you do.
View attachment 500189

You don't need a transit visa if, among others, you have a valid ETA. Nothing here stating that an ETA is not required for otherwise ETA-eligible pax as long as they remain airside. So one could easily take from this that they either need a Direct Transit Visa or meet one of the conditions listed, e.g., having an ETA, and thus think they need one to satisfy this requirement.

Your link is the most specific and thus should be correct but they could do well to make this clearer across their help pages.

Insert the extra complication of the UK-Ireland CTA into that, and you have zero chance of finding an answer.

And as a UK (and Irish) citizen, I can't get an ETA (or visa).

 

[IrishPete]

An ETA is not a visa.

The ETA page outlines on who does *not* need an ETA: Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK

This includes:

• you’re transiting through a UK airport and you will not pass through border control - check with your airline if you are not sure

There are only two airports in the UK offering direct INT->INT airside transfers where you don’t need to cross the border, those being LHR and MAN. But that fits the OP’s itinerary.

When I realised we had to change terminals in Heathrow, is when the panic set in...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There appears to be some ambiguous wording here that I can see causing the confusion for people. The link you've posted clearly states you don't need an ETA, yet the link I posted could be read to suggest you do.
View attachment 500189

You don't need a transit visa if, among others, you have a valid ETA. Nothing here stating that an ETA is not required for otherwise ETA-eligible pax as long as they remain airside. So one could easily take from this that they either need a Direct Transit Visa or meet one of the conditions listed, e.g., having an ETA, and thus think they need one to satisfy this requirement.

Your link is the most specific and thus should be correct but they could do well to make this clearer across their help pages.

You’re reading from the ‘visa’ page.

Generally if you need to apply for a visa to simply visit the UK you’re not going to be eligible for an ETA (otherwise you’d apply for that).

So the ‘visa’ page and its content is not relevant for those eligible for an ETA.

So then you turn to the ETA page, and that’s clear. It’s also supported by TIMATIC, which is specific to the passport being used.

 

[RooFlyer]

Million‑dollar question: Would you book two Emirates J reward seats (LIS → DBX→ SYD) on 3 June?

Pros: The origin location and date are exactly what I need.
Cons: War

Instantly.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

You’re reading from the ‘visa’ page.

Generally if you need to apply for a visa to simply visit the UK you’re not going to be eligible for an ETA (otherwise you’d apply for that).

So the ‘visa’ page and its content is not relevant for those eligible for an ETA.

So then you turn to the ETA page, and that’s clear. It’s also supported by TIMATIC, which is specific to the passport being used.

I get that, and I also see how it can still be confusing especially in situations like this where any ambiguity can cause people to worry given the implications if they mess up.

It also doesn't help that the link I posted is the first official website that came up when searching "UK ETA transit".

As another complicating factor, every country is of course different, e.g., NZ does require ETAs for transit, so it's easy to understand why people get confused.

 

[IrishPete]

I get that, and I also see how it can still be confusing especially in situations like this where any ambiguity can cause people to worry given the implications if they mess up.

It also doesn't help that the link I posted is the first official website that came up when searching "UK ETA transit".

As another complicating factor, every country is of course different, e.g., NZ does require ETAs for transit, so it's easy to understand why people get confused.

Singapore, where we self-transited/self-transferred from Qantas to Scoot, with about 8 hours in between, required completion of an online arrival card.

 

[Tiki]

I'm still waiting for the Velocity Points to be refunded, from cancelling over a week ago (flights were due to be on 7 March).

I haven't checked whether the cash copayment has been refunded - that will require some forensic digging into my credit card accounts.

Did you cancel over the phone or online. Mine was over the phone and points refunded instantly. Taxes refunded a few days later. This was on 1 March Sunday morning.

 

[Quickstatus]

But the fact remains that Qatar is still out of sync with its largest competitors,

That is for them to sort out. Competition though can be a powerful motivator

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

That is for them to sort out. Competition though can be a powerful motivator

People also have short memories, especially when the price is right.

This isn't a good luck for them, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be forgotten. I suspect the people saying they won't transit the Middle East "ever" again may be more likely to stick than those saying they just won't fly Qatar.

And to your point, the Middle East has never purported to be a bastion of consumer rights (or many rights at all). Buyer beware.

 

[IrishPete]

Did you cancel over the phone or online. Mine was over the phone and points refunded instantly. Taxes refunded a few days later. This was on 1 March Sunday morning.

Online through the Qatar app, as they were discouraging telephone contact.

 

[Seat0B]

You can take the man out of.... I am what I am!

Shame!

See I've made a big effort to speak DIL's language