Asia-to-Europe Flights Na-skyrocket ang Presyo After Gulf Airport Shutdowns — OFWs Affected

If you've been planning a trip from Asia to Europe anytime soon, brace yourself — flight prices have gone through the roof after key Middle Eastern airports shut down due to the escalating US-Israel conflict with Iran. Dubai, the world's busiest international airport handling over 1,000 flights daily, has been closed for four straight days.

The closures have wiped out massive capacity on popular routes, especially those served by Emirates and Qatar Airways. Airlines that fly non-stop between Asia and Europe — like Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines — are seeing a surge in demand as passengers scramble for alternatives. But seats are vanishingly scarce.

Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong-to-London route? Sold out in economy until March 11, with one-way tickets going for HK$21,158 (about $2,700). Thai Airways' Bangkok-to-London flights are fully booked until late next week, with fares hitting 71,190 baht ($2,265) — several times the normal price. Even Chinese airlines are seeing Beijing-to-London economy class largely unavailable, with business class priced at a jaw-dropping 50,490 yuan ($7,300+).

For Filipino OFWs and travelers headed to Europe, the disruption is a major headache. Many OFW routes transit through Dubai or Doha, and with those hubs offline, rebooking options are limited and expensive. Australia's Flight Centre reported a 75% spike in calls from disrupted customers, with passengers rerouting through China, Singapore, and even North American hubs.

Airlines that can bypass the closed Middle Eastern airspace are rerouting north via the Caucasus or south via Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Oman — but longer flights mean more fuel, which means higher costs that could keep fares elevated even after airports reopen.

Source: BusinessWorld / Reuters