The escalating conflict in the Middle East is set to drive up travel costs for Hong Kong passengers as many are forced to opt for more expensive direct routes to Europe, according to analysts.
They said on Monday that the suspension of major transit hubs in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Doha in Qatar had left travellers scrambling for seats on direct flights or “conflict-free” paths to Europe, with surging demand set to trigger a spike in airfares.
A check of Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways’ mobile app on Monday evening showed no available seats from Hong Kong to London for six consecutive days, from Tuesday, March 3, to Sunday, March 8.
The airline, which operates six flights between the two cities, had only one available on March 9, Monday, on direct service, CX251, with a one-way economy ticket costing HK$53,614 (US$6,850). Prices remained high at a minimum of HK$20,000 for a single, London-bound, economy ticket between March 9 and 11, before dropping to HK$6,614 on Thursday, March 12.
Global air travel has been disrupted after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, which led to the closure or severe restriction of operations at key transit airports across much of the Middle Eastern airspace.
Law Cheung-kwok, a senior adviser at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Aviation Policy and Research Centre, said the ongoing conflict would inevitably burden passengers, citing a significant surge in oil prices.
