Middle East Airspace Diversions/Cancellations

[FlyingKangaroo]

Intended Emirates schedule through March 28: Emirates Maintains Reduced Operation 15-28MAR26 — AeroRoutes.

For ex-Australia, this means, compared to normal:
SYD: reduced 3x --> 1x daily (CHC tag continues)
MEL: reduced 3x --> 1x daily
PER: 1x daily maintained
BNE: 2x --> 0, suspended until March 30, no souk for you

Over in NZ, DXB-AKL and SYD-CHC 1x daily maintained (link doesn't show CHC but confirmed via OAG; SYD-CHC has been operating throughout even on its lonesome anyway).

Full schedule tentatively to resume from March 29.

Whoops, forgot about Adelaide. Everyone always forgets Adelaide. Sorry, Adelaide.

Also, no souk for you either. Service suspended until March 29.

 

[Seat0B]

Full refund for cancelled VA (QR) flight for Seat Daughter and her family was received into her bank account 24 hrs after the cancellation. That's a pretty good turnaround.

 

[drcam]

Question: Should I cancel my redemption in Emirates first class HND-DXB-AMS on 29th May? Also I do not have QF status and am unlikely to ever, so I will never be able to do a first class Emirates redemption again.

Is there a reasonable chance of both sectors of my flight actually proceeding?

Of course no redemption flights at a later date?

 

[equus]

Things will start changing from can't fly through the Middle East due to war zone, to can't fly anywhere because there is no fuel for the plane.

 

[jbman]

Virgin has pushed cancel options out in line with QR

For guests booked on Virgin Australia’s Doha services up to and including 28 March 2026 who no longer wish to travel, we are offering free booking changes to the same destination, or a travel credit or refund.

 

[RooFlyer]

Question: Should I cancel my redemption in Emirates first class HND-DXB-AMS on 29th May? Also I do not have QF status and am unlikely to ever, so I will never be able to do a first class Emirates redemption again.

Is there a reasonable chance of both sectors of my flight actually proceeding?

Of course no redemption flights at a later date?

Why would you cancel now? If its flying, you'll go. If its not, it'll be cancelled then.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'll be in China from next week through May.
I wonder if China has enough reserves of fuel on its own.

But how to get home?

China may have enough reserves to fly to the plane to Australia, but what’s it going to fill up on once here?

 

[Happy Trails]

China cuts jet fuel to Australia amid oil crunch

Australia’s biggest provider of jet fuel has cut exports, leaving the country’s airports with an uncertain future.

au.news.yahoo.com

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

China cuts jet fuel to Australia amid oil crunch

Australia’s biggest provider of jet fuel has cut exports, leaving the country’s airports with an uncertain future.

au.news.yahoo.com

sHe'LL bE riGHt, mAtE

 

[Rembrandt]

Thoughts on China blocking export of Aviation fuel to Australia?

It's Yahoo AU news. China are either securing their own supply of jet fuel or it's a geopolitical game to support Iran.

 

[drcam]

Australia is close enough to China to do a return trip without refuelling? Or I could at least get to Singapore by train which is nearer?

And in my case China IS "home" for me. I am okay to just WFH from there and work on my own projects until at least the end of October without running out of dough...

 

[elanshin]

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/china-orders-immediate-ban-march-fuel-exports-sources-say-2026-03-12/

Reuters article suggests aviation fuel was not part of the ban.

Jet fuel for aviation bunkering is not included under the ban, two of the four sources said.

 

[jrfsp]

1973 here we come

 

[Pushka]

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/china-orders-immediate-ban-march-fuel-exports-sources-say-2026-03-12/

Reuters article suggests aviation fuel was not part of the ban.

"The ban, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), includes shipments of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, the sources said."

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

It's Yahoo AU news. China are either securing their own supply of jet fuel or it's a geopolitical game to support Iran.

Had the same thought, though suspect the former more than the latter as again, China needs Gulf state oil far more than it needs Iranian oil. Unless Iran starts actually letting oil from the Gulf states out on some vessels (they'd said they'd only target US/Israeli ships but that's not what they've done).

Australia is close enough to China to do a return trip without refuelling? Or I could at least get to Singapore by train which is nearer?

Realistically, almost always no. Most of if not all existing China-Australia routes could not operate both legs without refuelling in Australia unless they imposed massive payload restrictions, which wouldn't make commercial sense.

 

[jrfsp]

If fuel runs out there will be far far far bigger problems than planes refueling

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

If fuel runs out there will be far far far bigger problems than planes refueling

Suddenly my overflowing pantry I was mocked about by guests eating some of said food during a recent dinner party is looking less apocalyptic. Ingrates.

10% discount to AFF members when I open my in-house bodega.

 

[Pushka]

If fuel runs out there will be far far far bigger problems than planes refueling

Depends where you are in the world from home though doesn't it.

 

[jrfsp]

Depends where you are in the world from home though doesn't it.

Can the cutty sark be put back into use?

 

[justinbrett]

Australia is close enough to China to do a return trip without refuelling?

It’s the landing with an aircraft full of fuel for a long haul flight that’s the issue. That’s why aircraft dump fuel in an emergency.