Australia’s national airline Qantas Airways announced Thursday it will expand service to European destinations as travelers increasingly seek alternative routes due to ongoing Middle East conflicts that have shuttered major aviation hubs.
The airline will boost its Rome and Paris schedules to accommodate rising demand for European travel, following the disruption of key Middle Eastern connection points including Dubai and Doha due to regional warfare.
To support the expansion, Qantas will reassign Boeing 787 aircraft currently serving American destinations and shift some A330 planes from domestic Australian routes to international service. The carrier joins other airlines like Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific in enhancing European service amid the travel disruption.
Flight costs between Asia and Europe have skyrocketed this month as travelers seek to avoid Middle Eastern airspace affected by the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, forcing airlines to close crucial Gulf region hubs.
Specific service changes include upgrading Perth-Rome flights from four weekly round trips to daily service. Paris flights will expand from three to five weekly round trips, with the route shifting from Perth to Sydney as the origin point and connecting through Singapore instead, accommodating an extra 60 travelers per flight.
Additionally, Perth-Singapore service will grow from daily flights to 10 weekly departures.
Passengers affected by the scheduling modifications will receive contact from the airline offering alternative flights within 24 hours of their original departure time or full refunds, according to the company’s announcement.
“The group continues to monitor the situation in the Middle East and its impact on fuel security, the price of fuel, and demand for travel, and will make further adjustments as required,” Qantas stated.
