'Do not cancel your Europe trip': Travel CEO sets record straight

Despite ongoing disruptions to air travel over and into the Middle East, travellers should not cancel any upcoming flights through the region.

Today, a spate of headlines warned Aussie passengers to cancel or rethink any holidays to Europe for the next six months.

But CEO of the Australian Travel Industry Association, Dean Long, has pushed back.

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After days of cancellations, both Emirates and Etihad are now operating flights in the Middle East again.

The first planeload of Australians rescued from the Middle East landed in Sydney this morning.

Many airlines, including Singapore Airlines and multiple Chinese carriers, are providing reliable alternative routings to Europe, according to the ATIA.

"There are plenty of safe ways to get to Europe and the aviation sector has and will continue to adapt," Dean said in a statement.

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"Asia is open and operating. We have flights coming out of the Middle East. There will be some delays and a bit more disruption than what we're used to but no one in the travel industry is going to put you in a place where it's unsafe."

There's no need to panic, especially if you're not travelling for a month or two. Similar things have happened in the region before, and the air traffic delays were quickly resolved.

One thing you definitely should never do in this situation, Dean stresses, is to cancel your flight - even if it's scheduled for this week.

"The minute you go to cancel your flights, you are effectively doing a 'change of mind'," he told 9Travel earlier this week.

"And what that means is you fall back to the terms and conditions that you signed up for, which means you'll have additional fees, additional charges, you will have to pay significantly more money as a result of making that decision.

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Instead, travellers should wait for the airlines to make that call, to have any chance of a refund or travel credit.

"If the airline cancels your flight, you will be entitled to a full cash refund or rebooking on a future flight at no cost to you because the airline has cancelled that flight," he continues.

"So it's critically important that even if you are very nervous, you do not cancel voluntarily any of your travel arrangements without seeking the advice of your travel agent."

The ATIA has shared practical advice for travellers who are heading to the Middle East soon.

• Download your airline's app and check the Manage My Booking tab before heading to the airport to make sure your flight is actually going ahead
• Register with Smart Traveller https://www.smartraveller.gov.au
• If you're already in the Middle East and want to get home, register with DFAT now - Middle Eastern carriers are repatriating Australians with no additional charges
• If you're booked to travel in the next few weeks, don't panic-cancel.
• If you're booked to travel in the next few months, talk to your accredited travel agent or tour operator as there are plenty of alternative routes.

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