Middle East Airspace Diversions/Cancellations

[lovestotravel]

I was going to suck it up and fly SQ in Y on the same flights as the family but it was $2560ish in Y... I spent about $3,000 for the MEL-ICN in Y and then ICN-CDG in J....

Of course, SQ MEL-SIN is pretty much fully booked for the next week now as well

 

[Tiki]

I'm booked to go through Doha in 4 weeks, and I'm relaxed. 6 weeks should be fine for you. If the war goes on for more than 2 weeks I'll be amazed but if it does, then I might start asking my travel agent for options. After the war, the ME should be safer than for many years.

It's more an issue of when the transiting countries get taken off the Do Not Travel list because travel insurance won't be valid. I may personally feel safe to transit through the ME but I don't want my travel insurance to be invalidated.

 

[Tiki]

Sorry, can you remind me when your travel is?

We're booked to return to Australia via Doha on Saturday, and I was going to wait and see a bit longer. One of us' flight is Velocity points and the other paid with Qatar. If the airlines are willing to cancel already, maybe I should be looking at alternative ways home already?

3 weeks

 

[kangarooflyer88]

It would be much simpler for QR to fly the route in their own right. VA brings nothing to the table.

Status credits?

 

[I love to travel]

It's more an issue of when the transiting countries get taken off the Do Not Travel list because travel insurance won't be valid. I may personally feel safe to transit through the ME but I don't want my travel insurance to be invalidated.

Yes need to read up on whether it invalidates T I for whole journey or just transit bit

 

[MEL_Traveller]

An important question here is why the airlines aren’t booking passengers on flights operated by other airlines particularly if their final destination is not the Middle East. Yes this kinetic storm in the Middle East may but outside their control but they must take all reasonable measures to mitigate disruptions under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention which would include booking on other airlines

Good luck finding premium seats out of australia in the next couple of days! Economy seems ok, but premium is a different story.

Automated rebooking processes would satisfy MC99 obligations for airlines, and remember that for Aussie pax, you’d have to go to court (not small claims) to get your money back… no certainty there.

 

[MooTime]

Personally if I was flying thru ME within next 4 weeks for leisure I'd cancel in a heartbeat.
I'd pick a spot here in Aus for a holiday.
Life worth more than a trip abroad.
I don't mind taking risks, but flying thru or close to said area id be a touch nervous leading upto as would my extended family knowing.

Waiting for the potential s$&t to hit the fan then to try to cancel along with a million others, good luck.

Hope it works out for your family @Seat0B, tough one there.

 

[elanshin]

Yes need to read up on whether it invalidates T I for whole journey or just transit bit

TI is invalidated for the region if its caused by war most of the time anyways or your travel is disrupted by a war (aka if you can't fly home on a NE carrier because of war).

 

[elanshin]

An important question here is why the airlines aren’t booking passengers on flights operated by other airlines particularly if their final destination is not the Middle East. Yes this kinetic storm in the Middle East may but outside their control but they must take all reasonable measures to mitigate disruptions under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention which would include booking on other airlines

There's probably tens of thousands of passengers that they need to figure out solutions for. Not something that can be done quickly.

 

[Pushka]

So when will the Melbourne FI get cancelled....

 

[pauly7]

I fly in about a week MEL-DXB..... Was meant to be EK Gamechanger F but who knows.... The rest of the family is on SQ ... I cancelled my J a few months back to get F on EK ....

I've just booked a backup plan MEL-ICN on Asiana and then a points booking on AF J ICN-CDG - At least it's the A350 and I've never seen ICN before...

Can cancel Asiana for about $200 I think, not sure it's so confused
Can cancel AF for 70 EU

One of our group MDs was scheduled to go Tuesday to EU via Dubai on a QF code Emirates JV flight, has been automatically rebooked on QF metal ex Sydney via SIN.

Unfortunately one of her reports flying a day later same route but on EK code (for some reason) is SOL so far. They called Emirates who tried to rebook them onto QF but appears QF are holding and moving their own code/premium/FF passengers booked on the QF/EK JV onto their own QF flights first, which makes sense I guess if they have to triage.

Emirates reportedly looking at options to do some temporary re-hubbing via Asian ports but how long would that take to organise I wonder?

 

[markis10]

UAE has instructed hotels to extend their stay for stranded guests and the government will cover the cost.

 

[Rembrandt]

So when will the Melbourne FI get cancelled....

It won't, as worst it will be delayed and slotted in between the China and Japan races. They will find a way to get the teams to Melbourne. Sad thing is many international fans from Europe will need to cancel their trips...

 

[MooTime]

So when will the Melbourne FI get cancelled....

Yes can't see it going ahead from Thursday.
I work across the road from it & enjoy the fan fare & noise, but delayed postponed no doubt.
Most teams in Bahrain for practice I read.

 

[Coops1]

Waiting for the potential s$&t to hit the fan then to try to cancel along with a million others, good luck.

Its not the dying part for me, you would have to be mega unlucky!

With our trip last year we stuck with Santorini, and its earthquakes, and glad my thoughts and commentary didnt have our hotel fall into the caldera at night

I think that the closures are the bigger issue, especially as a family. Being stuck in an airport or country having to scramble with mega crowds for accommodation and new flights wouldn't be nice at all

Sending some thoughts and strength to anybody stuck at the moment.

 

[LionKing]

An important question here is why the airlines aren’t booking passengers on flights operated by other airlines particularly if their final destination is not the Middle East. Yes this kinetic storm in the Middle East may but outside their control but they must take all reasonable measures to mitigate disruptions under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention which would include booking on other airlines

If you were travelling on EK417/413 or QR909 on 28 Feb, it is almost impossible for you to be booked onto another flight and avoid staying in Sydney overnight, regardless your destination is not in the Middle East or not.
It is simply because of Sydney curfew, and the conflict broke out just before departure time meant there was no way they will be able to accommodate passengers onto any flights on the night.
I acknowledge of the major event which didn't allow passengers to find alternative accommodation within a reasonable price, and it looks with prolonged closure on the region, those passengers should have been on their way hopefully through Asia, Canada, South America or South Africa to Europe if available.

 

[lovestotravel]

One of our group MDs was scheduled to go Tuesday to EU via Dubai on a QF code Emirates JV flight, has been automatically rebooked on QF metal ex Sydney via SIN.

Unfortunately one of her reports flying a day later same route but on EK code (for some reason) is SOL so far. They called Emirates who tried to rebook them onto QF but appears QF are holding and moving their own code/premium/FF passengers booked on the QF/EK JV onto their own QF flights first, which makes sense I guess if they have to triage.

Emirates reportedly looking at options to do some temporary re-hubbing via Asian ports but how long would that take to organise I wonder?

I'm on a Qantas classic rewards ticket, flying EK F, I'll be bottom of the pile to be looked after by anyone

In Y I wouldn't be quite as worried, but even SQ is fully booked in Y until next Sunday, except for a day.

Getting F rebooked it's really only going to be F on QF and with the number of EK flights and me being a QF award seat - No chance

 

[LionKing]

Good luck finding premium seats out of australia in the next couple of days! Economy seems ok, but premium is a different story.

Automated rebooking processes would satisfy MC99 obligations for airlines, and remember that for Aussie pax, you’d have to go to court (not small claims) to get your money back… no certainty there.

It looks like most premium seats out of Australia over the next couple of days are gone, except going through China. Even SE Asia is a difficulty, potentially due to rerouting from ME3.

 

[IrishPete]

I'd count on the Saudis to sort out anything disrupting anything in their neighbourhood - overtly or covertly.



I hope no-one is cancelling their flights - if they are cancelled by the airline, they are cancelled, but if so, the airline will refund or re-arrange. Anyone who cancels is on their own.

Someone else posted that they were able to cancel theirs for full refund. I'd still rather the airline did it, and made some effort to get us home. One of the tickets is booked with Velocity points, and they're not likely to be able to get us home, so the cash refund will definitely fall short of what it will cost us on another airline and route.

 

[offshore171]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2028137149086777834