SINGAPORE \u2013 Escalating tensions between Iran and the United States have rippled through the global travel industry, raising the prospect of longer flight routes, higher airfares and shifting holiday plans.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
For travellers in Singapore, the conflict has added a new layer of uncertainty to long-haul trips, particularly those passing through Middle Eastern airspace. More than 52,000 flights have been cancelled since the war began on Feb 28,<\/span><\/a> according to aviation data provider Cirium as at March 13.\u00a0<\/p>\n Travel experts say holidaymakers are already pivoting to closer regional destinations instead of far-flung ones.\u00a0<\/p>\n At travel agency Lightfoot Travel, new bookings for trips in Asia rose by 35 per cent among its global clientele between early February and early March, as some travellers opt for holidays that are closer to home and in a relatively safe zone amid the worsening geopolitical situation. <\/p>\n In Singapore, while bookings fell 25 per cent between the first and second weeks of March, trip inquiries remained strong, falling only 2.5 per cent year on year for March. Destinations popular with its Singapore clients include Japan, China, Indonesia and Thailand.<\/p>\n Top regional destinations that Singapore travellers are currently searching for are Tokyo, Bangkok, Seoul, Bali and Kuala Lumpur, according to data from travel metasearch platform Skyscanner.<\/p>\n Lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic seem to have helped travellers remain composed in these troubled times, says Ms Lucy Jackson Walsh, co-founder and managing director of Lightfoot Travel.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe observed that many travellers were holding decision-making until more news had unfolded and then they would press ahead with trips. So, while there was a pause on the decisions to commit money to travel, interest and demand were still there,\u201d she adds. <\/p>\n Flights from Singapore to major hubs in London, Paris and Frankfurt typically traverse Iran, Iraq and the Gulf states, as this is the most direct route between South-east Asia and Europe.\u00a0<\/p>\n With the ongoing conflict, non-stop flights to such destinations will likely need up to three hours of additional flight time to avoid affected airspaces.\u00a0<\/p>\n A view of Table Mountain and the Cape Town City bowl in South Africa in December. Long-haul flights from Singapore to destinations such as South Africa and Latin America avoid the Middle East airspace. <\/p>\n PHOTO: AFP<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n However, Ms Walsh notes that long-haul flights from Singapore to destinations such as South Africa and Latin America avoid the Middle East conflict entirely, with some of her clients already booking such trips.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are also opportunities for travel now that you might not otherwise have. For example, there\u2019s been some very favourable stay rates coming out of the Maldives because they rely heavily on the Middle Eastern hubs for other passengers to come in,\u201d she says. She adds that travellers can also consider destinations such as Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n<\/picture><\/div>