As the conflict in the Middle East continues there has been plenty of concern over jet fuel shortages, the price of flights and what routes are safe to take.
But one major airline is now offering its cheapest tickets ever for journeys to Sydney.
Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, is cutting its prices by 50 per cent for routes from the UK to several long-haul destinations.
The sale includes trips to Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong, Bangkok and the Maldives.
A return economy flight from London to Sydney, via Abu Dhabi, can be bagged for as little as £688.09 per person, jetting off on May 28 and returning on June 4.
While the Foreign Office still advises against all but essential travel to Abu Dhabi, Etihad is banking on the assumption the travel ban will be off by the end of May.
Sparking a price war with other long-haul airlines, some of the slashed-back costs by the United Arab Emirates carrier are just a fraction of British Airways’.
The cheapest offerings from British Airways for the same route and dates but via Singapore are £1,810.89.
Even Emirates’ best rate is £1,023.04 for an economy return via Dubai.
Etihad also offers the route in business class for £3,598.49, whereas the same return ticket with British Airways would set passengers back a whopping £9,185.39. Emirates’ charges £5,472.88.
Some prices offered by the state-owned airline are even cheaper than during the pandemic, according to The Times.
An Etihad executive told the publication: ‘As soon as travel picks up, we want to be back to flying planes 100 per cent full in all cabins, as we were before the conflict. These prices will help.’
The airline plans to fill up routes with the hope that the conflict in the Middle East will be resolved by then.
Bargain flights can be found from next month until June, and prices begin to go up in July.
Henry Harteveldt, an aviation analyst from Atmosphere Research, said Etihad’s business move was ‘not unusual’ and explained how airline’s in America did similar after 9/11 to get travellers to book again.
He also predicted: ‘Despite what they may say now, I expect Etihad’s competitors will respond.’
However, other airlines have been forced to increase their charges as a result of the war.
Budget US airline JetBlue previously charged a minimum of $35 (£26.50) for a passenger’s first piece of checked luggage.
However, this now shows as $39 (£29.50) for off-peak flights, including $10 (£7.60) in savings, on the carrier’s website.
During peak times, the price starts at $49 (£37.10), up from the previous $40 (£30.30) – a $9 (£6.82) increase.
JetBlue has put the change down to ‘rising operating costs’.
A spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘As we experience rising operating costs, we regularly evaluate how to manage those costs while keeping base fares competitive and continuing to invest in the experience our customers value.
‘Adjusting fees for optional services used by select customers, such as checked baggage, allows us to continue offering more competitive fares while delivering the onboard experience our customers love, including complimentary snacks and drinks, unlimited, high-speed Wi-Fi and seatback entertainment screens.
‘While we recognize that fee increases are never ideal, we take careful consideration to ensure these changes are implemented only when necessary.’
Concerns have also been raised about jet fuel supply, and last week former airline captain Emma Henderson MBE told the Daily Mail that it could reach a point where there is simply ‘not enough’ fuel.
Some cruise lines are also feeling the impact, and two Asia-based lines have implemented new fuel surcharges to cope with the mounting financial pressure.
StarCruises and Dream Cruises, both under the Resorts World Cruises brand, launched the new surcharge earlier this month.
For bookings from 20 March 2026 onwards, the new fees will apply.
The cruise lines said: ‘Due to recent geopolitical developments in the Middle East, oil prices have increased significantly, leading to higher fuel and related costs for Star Navigator, Star Voyager and the Genting Dream.
‘As a result, a fuel surcharge will be introduced for new bookings made on or after 20 March 2026.
‘This surcharge is determined based on the operating requirements of each ship and itinerary; and may therefore vary across our fleet.’
The lines added: ‘This surcharge will be reviewed in line with fuel price movements and may be adjusted downward if prices ease or revised for new bookings should prices continue to rise.
‘We appreciate your understanding as this measure allows us to continue operating our sailings while maintaining the quality of service and experience our guests expect.’
The exact cost will vary depending on the vessel and departure point.
How the war is impacting flights across the world: What airlines are doing as jet fuel costs surge
A surge in jet fuel prices driven by the US-Israeli war on Iran has upended the global aviation industry, forcing airlines to raise fares and revise financial outlooks. Here is how airlines have been responding so far this month:
AEGEAN AIRLINES: The Greek airline expects suspended Middle East flights and a spike in fuel prices to have a ‘notable impact’ on its first-quarter results.
AIR FRANCE-KLM: The airline group said it planned to increase long-haul ticket prices to address surging fuel costs, with cabin fares set to rise by 50 euros (£43.60) per round trip.
AIR NEW ZEALAND: The airline was one of the first to announce broad increases to ticket prices on March 10. It also suspended its full-year earnings forecast due to fuel market volatility. The price increases for one-way economy fares are set at NZ$10 (£4.33) on domestic routes, NZ$20 (£8.66) on short-haul international services and NZ$90 (£38.98) on long-haul flights, with further price, network and schedule changes possible if fuel costs remain elevated.
AKASA AIR: India’s Akasa Air said it was introducing a fuel surcharge ranging from 199-1,300 Indian rupees (£1.60 to £10.47) on domestic and international flights.
AMERICAN AIRLINES: The US carrier said it expected a $400million (£300million) increase in first-quarter expenses as fuel prices surge.
CATHAY PACIFIC: The Hong Kong airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on all routes from April 1, its second increase in about two weeks after a March 18 hike, and review them every two weeks. The carrier, which reviews fuel surcharges monthly, kept them steady last month at $72.90 (£54.90) for flights between Hong Kong and Europe or North America.
CEBU AIR: The Philippines-based airline said the sharp rise in fuel prices was a key concern and it would continue to review its pricing and network strategies to mitigate the impact.
EASYJET: EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said European consumers should expect higher ticket prices towards the end of summer, when existing fuel hedges come to an end.
GREATER BAY AIRLINES: Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines said it would raise fuel surcharges on most routes from April 1 due to higher fuel prices linked to the Iran war, while keeping charges unchanged on mainland China and Japan routes. Its surcharge for flights between Hong Kong and the Philippines will more than double, the carrier said.
FRONTIER AIRLINES: The US airline is reviewing its full-year forecast as fuel prices have increased significantly since it issued the outlook.
HONG KONG AIRLINES: The airline said it would raise fuel surcharges by up to 35 per cent from March 12, with the sharpest increase on flights between Hong Kong and the Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal, where charges would rise to HK$384 (£37) from HK$284 (£27).
IAG: British Airways owner IAG said on March 10 it did not plan to increase ticket prices immediately, as it has hedged much of its fuel for the short-to-medium-term.
INDIGO: India’s biggest airline said it would introduce fuel charges on domestic and international flights from March 14, including a charge of 900 rupees (£7) for flights to the Middle East and a charge of 2,300 rupees (£19) for flights to Europe. The company is also lobbying the Indian government to cut fuel taxes, sources told Reuters.
JETBLUE AIRWAYS: The US-based low-cost carrier said it was increasing fees for optional services such as checked baggage as it experiences ‘rising operating costs’. Baggage prices will rise by either $4 (£3) or $9 (£7), the company said.
PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: The carrier said it would raise domestic flight fares by $20 (£15) and international fares by up to $100 (£75), citing higher fuel surcharges.
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES: The airline said it had adequate fuel supply to support scheduled operations, but did not have visibility beyond May to June. Company president Richard Nuttall told CNBC the Philippines might eventually consider measures such as rationing how much fuel airlines can purchase, which a few countries have already implemented.
QANTAS AIRWAYS: The Australian airline, which had already said it would raise international fares, said on March 26 it would add flights to Rome, Paris and Singapore. It said it was monitoring fuel security, fuel prices and demand, and could make further changes.
SAS: The Scandinavian airline said it would cancel 1,000 flights in April because of high oil and jet fuel prices. For March, it said it had cancelled a ‘couple hundred’ flights. SAS, which had already increased flight prices, said that even if it tried to absorb the rising fuel costs, the price surge would still be a blow to the aviation industry.
SPRING AIRLINES: The budget Chinese airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights from April 5, with details to be announced later.
THAI AIRWAYS: The Thailand-based carrier said it would raise fares by 10-15 per cent to address rising fuel costs.
TURKISH AIRLINES, LUFTHANSA: SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, said it would impose a temporary fuel surcharge of 10 euros (£9)) per passenger from May 1 on routes between Turkey and mainland Europe. The surcharge will apply to bookings made on or after April 1 for departures on or after May 1.
UNITED AIRLINES: The US airline is cutting unprofitable flights over the next two quarters as it prepares for oil prices to remain above $100 until the end of 2027, chief executive Scott Kirby said. United has been able to raise fares without materially hurting bookings in response to the rapid increase in oil and jet fuel prices, chief commercial officer Andrew Nocella said.
VIETJET: The Vietnamese budget airline said it had adjusted flight frequency on selected routes due to potential fuel shortages.
VIETNAM AIRLINES: The carrier plans to cancel 23 flights per week across domestic routes from April, Vietnam’s aviation authority said, after the airline requested government assistance to remove an environmental tax on jet fuel.
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Virgin Australia said it was adjusting fares to reflect rising cost pressures across the aviation sector, which it said were being significantly exacerbated by the situation in the Middle East.