What you should do if you are booked to fly internationally

Cancelling a flight because of the volatile situation in the Middle East could be a big mistake, Australians have been warned.

The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) is urging travellers not to cancel travel arrangements due to the Middle East situation without first seeking professional advice.

They are also being urged not to contact their travel agent unless they are travelling in the next 48 hours - to allow passengers who are immediately impacted to be supported.

ATIA says it is closely monitoring the airspace situation across the Middle East, which is having a direct impact on international flight operations and passenger itineraries.

Several countries in the Gulf region have closed or significantly restricted their airspace following an escalation in regional hostilities. Major hubs - including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha - are affected, with cancellations, delays and rerouting already underway across multiple carriers.

“The situation across the Middle East is evolving rapidly and is already disrupting international flight operations for Australians travelling via major hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha,” says ATIA CEO Dean Long.

“Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are the most directly impacted at this stage, but European and other international carriers routing through Gulf airspace are also experiencing delays and rerouting. The impact is broader than many travellers may expect.

“Smartraveller has updated its advice for the UAE and Qatar at www.smarttraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/middle-east-conflict and travellers should be aware this may affect travel insurance provisions. We strongly encourage Australians to check DFAT’s Middle East conflict page and speak with their insurer if they have concerns.

"Our members are actively supporting impacted clients, managing re-bookings, securing alternative routes and providing up-to-date advice in what is a highly fluid environment.

“Our message to travellers is simple 1) do not cancel arrangements without first seeking professional advice; 2) please unless you are travelling in the next 48 hours and have not been contacted, hold off contacting your travel agent right not to allow them to support those currently caught up in, and who are stranded, delayed and dealing with cancellations. The situation is evolving rapidly, and experienced travel professionals are best placed to provide up-to-date guidance tailored to each traveller’s circumstances.”

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