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Travel industry in turbulence amid worsening West Asia situation

With the Iran-Israel conflict escalating, travel planning is becoming more complex as airspace closures over Pakistan, Iran, and Israel are leading to longer flight routes, especially for Europe-bound trave­llers. Schedules could be altered at short notice depending on the Notices to Airmen or NOTAMs issued by the governments of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Iraq. Industry executives said closure of airspaces leading to longer routes and flight times has already led to a hike in air fares on some routes, which will impact travel demand for West bound flights as airlines will have to take more circuitous routes to avoid conflict zones. Schedules overall could be impacted on account of deployment or redeployment of aircraft. 'The Iran-Israel hostilities and the closure of airspaces leading to longer routes/flight times is bound to impact fares. One can already see a 12-15 per cent hike on some sectors,' said Ajay Prakash, vice-president at Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality. Temporary airspace restrictions due to the ongoing tensions in West Asia have led to longer flight routes by nearly 2-4 hours and leading to an excess in airline operational cost, said Sabina Chopra, chief operating officer and cofounder, at Yatra Online Ltd. 'Flight fares are shaped by several factors; fuel prices, demand, operational shifts among them. Rerouted paths have led to an increase of 15-20 per cent in some of these routes,' she said. IndiGo Airlines issued a travel advisory on Sunday, 'Due to the ongoing airspace restrictions, flight routes to and from the Gulf are experiencing congestion, which may result in delays on certain sectors. As we continue to operate via alternate paths, extended travel times may be expected.' Air India had issued a similar advisory on Friday where it diverted more than a dozen flights en route to London, New York, Sharjah, Delhi, Frankfurt, Chicago, Washington and Toronto, while several flights returned to their origin ports. Airlines are already avoiding Pakistan's airspace following the India - Pakistan conflict last month. 'Flight fares to Western destinations have increased by 15–25 per cent on key routes due to the Pakistan airspace closure. If similar restrictions continue in Iranian and Israeli airspace, a comparable rise is expected due to longer detours and higher fuel consumption,' said Ravi Gosain, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators. Flight disruptions from geopolitical situations and the recent crash of the Air India flight have created anxiety among flyers. Industry executives noted that while some rescheduling requests were coming in, flyers were also keen to know the kind of aircraft being used for their travel. 'After the Air India accident, safety is a growing concern. Travelers are increasingly inquiring about aircraft types after the Dreamliner incident. While we don't currently display aircraft type during booking, we're evaluating this feature to support transparency and peace of mind for our clients,' Gosain said. Travel portals and tour operators are also evaluating ways to disclose the type of aircraft in use for consumers while they make their bookings for international travel. 'Safety is understandably top-of-mind for travellers. Incidents like the recent Dreamliner crash have raised awareness about aircraft types and airline safety records. already displays detailed flight information, including aircraft model and carrier (where available) and we are working on making this data even more prominent in the booking flow,' Chopra said.