Aussies are flying via the Middle East despite ‘do not travel’ warning

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Aussie travellers are still flying via the Middle East to Europe, despite official government advice against it.

With multiple flights still departing with major airlines, some travellers are choosing to pass through the warzone.

While a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran began on April 8 and will end on Wednesday, the area remains volatile and under a ‘do not travel’ warning. 

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That means insurance will not cover travellers if things go wrong or airspace is closed.

Tony Sergo, 65, from regional NSW just fly to Europe from Sydney via Dubai for a two-month holiday with his wife Kath.

And while he could have cancelled and got his money back, he’d likely have had to pay more for an alternative, so he says they got on board.

“For us to cancel and rebook would have been huge financial loss, so why do it,” he tells nine.com.au.

“The risk to me was small so away we went.”

Tony knew he likely wouldn’t be covered by insurance if things did go wrong on his way to London.

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However, the flight went smoothly and he’s also due to return via Dubai after his holiday in the UK and Europe.

“Emirates increased flight time by 30 minutes on each flight to avoid hazardous air space over the Gulf,” he says.

He said Dubai Airport was open as usual and they were “not anxious at all”.

“In my mind Emirates are not going to risk their personnel, aircraft or reputation by operating in any unsafe environment,” he says.

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Wendy Douglas, 70, also headed back to the UK via Dubai this month after visiting her daughter in Sydney.

She admits while she was “obviously concerned” she noted the flight had been departing daily in the days before her booking.

“As this was my third trip to Australia with Emirates, I was comfortable in the knowledge that the flight would not have gone ahead if there was any chance of danger,” she tells nine.com.au.

And while she says she would never usually ignore do not travel warnings she says she also didn’t want to have to pay for another flight if she had cancelled.

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Dubai is stable, authorities say

Dubai authorities have also reassured travellers despite thousands of missiles being launched at the emirate since the war began.

Most were intercepted by the air defence system.

“Dubai remains stable, with authorities closely monitoring developments,” the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism says.

Emirates says it is flying to and from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, with Adelaide and Brisbane services restarting from May 1.

Travellers booked to travel until May 31 can move to an alternative flight before June 15 or opt for a refund, a spokesman confirmed to nine.com.au.

Travellers can also make one date change without cost. Customers who booked via a travel agent should contact their agent directly.

“The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority and will not be compromised,” Emirates says on its website.

What are the current warnings

But Smartraveller reiterated its warning.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson told nine.com.au the situation “remains volatile.”

“There remains a risk of attacks and escalation,” they said.

“We continue to advise all Australians ‘do not travel’ to Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“‘Do not travel’ advice also applies to transit and layovers in affected locations.

“Military conflict in the Middle East has caused widespread airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions both in the region and across the globe.

“There are also global fuel supply challenges causing widespread travel impacts.”

The lure of a cheap flight

Prices are likely to see more Aussies tempted to take the risk of flying through the region, though there are multiple ways to get to Europe avoiding the Middle East.

The cost of flights has been spiking on other routes.

A return flight to the UK on June 1 returning June 22 via Dubai with Emirates is $2011 on the Emirates website.

Qantas flights to London via Singapore for the same dates are $3794 on the Qantas website, a difference of over $1700.

What will travel insurance cover?

The Insurance Council of Australia warned travellers war is a standard exclusion on most travel policies.

So any Aussies who go to the affected countries will not be covered.

“Travellers should also monitor the latest Smartraveller advice, as travelling against a “do not travel” advisory will likely affect coverage,” a council spokesperson tells nine.com.au.

However, travellers may still be covered for “incidents unrelated to the conflict such as medical emergencies, accidents, lost luggage or theft”.

Aussies with bookings via the Middle East are advised to contact their airline or travel agent before cancelling.

Qatar Airways also flies from Australia via Doha, and Etihad travels through Abu Dhabi.