'I'm booked to fly to Europe in July but have no idea if my flight will go ahead'
I'm supposed to be flying to Europe in July, but with everything going on in the Middle East, it's been almost impossible to figure out what is happening with my flights.
My flight is connecting in Doha, and is still confirmed for my departure date, but there are so many questions going unanswered by airlines, who don't know what's going to happen themselves.
Since the start of the conflict, every airline has taken a different approach to managing its flights to and from the Middle East.
READ MORE: Why you might see a robot handling your luggage next time you fly
If you're booked to fly through the Middle East there is a lot of information to take in. Supplied
Information about flights in and out of Europe via the Middle East changes every day, making the situation worse for travellers who are already nervous about their holidays being cancelled at the last minute.
While information is limited and changes almost daily, we've put together a guide of everything we know to help ease the stress.
READ MORE: How to travel to Europe without going through the Middle East
Virgin Australia flights to Europe
Thanks to a partnership with Qatar Airways, Virgin Australia flies out of Australia to the Middle East, connecting exclusively through Hamad Airport in Doha, Qatar.
All Virgin Australia flights to Europe, connecting in Doha, have been cancelled until June 15. Despite the ongoing ceasefire, these flights will remain cancelled.
The airline recently announced that its flights between Sydney, Melbourne and Doha will resume from June 15.
All Virgin Australia flights to Europe, connecting in Doha have been cancelled until June 15. Getty
Virgin Australia flights between Perth, Brisbane and Doha have been cancelled until September 14, 2026.
Virgin's deal with Qatar Airways adds an extra layer of complications to some travellers' plans, including mine.
Though I bought my flight directly through Qatar's website, one of the legs of my journey is a flight that is operated by Qatar for Virgin Australia, which means it's actually a Virgin flight (confusing, I know).
We'll save you the complicated details, but if you are booked on one of these flights, it means you are also impacted by the Virgin cancellations, regardless of Qatar Airways' own flight schedule.
Most airlines are still flying into major toursim hot spots like Athens. tilialucida - stock.adobe.com
If you are in the same predicament, you should receive flight updates from the airline you booked with.
If you booked through Qatar, they will send out information relating to cancellations, reschedules and refunds.
If you booked through Virgin, they will deal with all of the above.
All of Virgin Australia's flights not stopping over in the Middle East have not been impacted by the conflict; however, that could change depending on jet fuel supplies.
Qatar Airways flights
All international flights to Doha on airlines other than Qatar Airways are cancelled until June 15.
This includes some Qatar Airlines flights between Doha and Australia, as the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) has only approved a few flights into the international airport per day.
Despite the ceasefire, these flights are still cancelled. The airline will reach out to affected passengers.
All international flights to Doha on airlines other than Qatar Airways are cancelled until June 15. iStock
However, the QCAA has announced that flights into Hammad International Airport will resume after June 15.
These include Qatar Airways' own flights between Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The airline is also flying out of nearly every major city in Europe from Doha, restoring its regular flight schedule slowly.
These flights are expected to keep increasing after June 15, giving hope to Aussie travellers.
You can find the updated flight schedule here.
If you were booked on a Qatar Airways flight operated for Virgin Australia, this information does not apply to you. Refer to the Virgin Australia section above.
Emirates flights
Emirates is still flying pretty consistently out of Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.
The airline is operating on a "limited" flight schedule, including 100 destinations across Europe, connecting in Dubai.
As of right now, planes are still flying out of Australia to Dubai with Emirates daily.
Emirates is still flying pretty consistently out of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Getty
If you happen to be on a flight that was impacted, the airline's website says it will try to rebook passengers on confirmed Emirates flights.
Customers booked to travel between February 28 and May 31 have the option to rebook on an alternative flight leaving on or before June 15.
Customers also have the option of requesting a refund.
The airline allows itinerary changes to be done online by visiting Manage Your Booking on emirates.com and the Emirates App, including: reviewing any changes made to your booking, accepting the new flights the airline has offered, and choosing an alternative flight if your original travel date is within the next 72 hours.
You can also make up to nine changes under our current travel waiver (valid until 31 May) and update your contact details to receive updates from the airline.
Etihad Airways resumed a limited flight schedule on March 6, connecting in Abu Dhabi. Supplied
Etihad flights
Etihad Airways resumed a limited flight schedule on March 6, connecting in Abu Dhabi.
The airline is still flying out of Sydney and Melbourne, with some cancellations.
It is also flying to 80 destinations around the globe in a gradual resumption schedule.
The airline's website reads "the schedule is being expanded carefully and responsibly as conditions allow."
"We are monitoring the situation continuously and will update our schedule as the position develops."
Due to the limited flight schedule, some flights have been cancelled. The airline will be in touch with any affected passengers.
Passengers who had a ticket issued on or before February 28 or a flight leaving on or before April 15, are eligible to rebook on another Etihad flight up until June 15.
Customers with tickets to flights cancelled after April 16 are able to request or rebook free of charge.
If you happen to be on a flight that was impacted, the airline's website says it will try to rebook passengers on confirmed Emirates flights. Getty
How to travel to Europe without going through the Middle East
There are still plenty of ways to fly to Europe from Australia avoiding the Middle East.
Look at Singapore Airlines for flights from Australian cities to Singapore and onwards from there.
Qantas is another option, as is Thai Airways, and both fly to Bangkok in Thailand. Connect there for cities across Europe.
You can also get non-stop to Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Airways and Air Asia as well as Turkish Airlines from Australia.
Cathay Pacific flies from Australian cities to Hong Kong, and onwards.
Chinese airlines such as China Southern, Air China, and China Eastern also avoid the Middle East and go all the way to Europe via China.
There are also options to fly via the USA and Canada. Read more here.
Information accurate at the time of publishing.
