Vietnamese travelers scramble for routes home as Middle East disruptions cancel flights, drive up fares

Escalating military tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran in the Middle East since February 27 have disrupted air routes and heightened concerns over oil supplies, as about 20 percent of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said several flights between Vietnam and the Middle East were canceled on Thursday.

Qatar Airways scrapped flights QR983, QR977, and QR985 from Hanoi to Doha, affecting hundreds of passengers.

Etihad Airways also canceled two flights from Hanoi to Abu Dhabi, EY433 and EY431.

Turkish Airlines continued operating passenger and cargo flights between Hanoi and Istanbul as scheduled.

Airfare booking systems showed prices on routes between Vietnam and Europe rising sharply in early March.

Economy one-way fares on some direct flights operated by Vietnam Airlines from Vietnam to Paris or Frankfurt were around VND30–35 million (US$1,143–1,333), about 30 percent higher than normal rates.

Despite the high fares, economy seats have been sold out on several dates.

Airlines said instability in the Middle East, a key transit corridor between Asia and Europe, has forced aircraft to take longer routes when airspace is restricted or closed.

A representative of Vietnam Airlines said rerouting flights could add 60 to 90 minutes to each journey and require an additional six to nine tonnes of fuel per flight segment.

The airline currently operates 12 direct routes between Vietnam and Europe linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with cities including Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, London, Moscow, Milan, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam.

‘Every decision had to be quick’

Travelers also reported canceled flights, rapidly increasing ticket prices and crowded border crossings as airlines adjusted routes and schedules.

Phi Thi Bich Ngoc, director of Nplus Adventure, said a group she was traveling with was in Erbil in northern Iraq when their return flight to Vietnam was canceled after airspace closures linked to tensions between Iran and Israel.

“We could see planes flying overhead and occasionally hear explosions in the distance,” Ngoc said.

She said the group contacted the Vietnamese embassy to report they were safe and share their location.

Ngoc said the group was advised to leave Erbil, which hosts a U.S. military presence, and travel to Duhok near the Turkish border.

“Not long after we left Erbil, we heard the area had been bombed,” she said.

From Duhok, the group prepared a plan to cross into Turkey, apply online for Turkish visas, and buy tickets from Sirnak airport to Istanbul.

“I bought the tickets even though we were not sure we could cross the border because flights could quickly sell out,” Ngoc said.

The group later crossed into Turkey by land and is now in Istanbul, she said.

Ngoc said many foreigners in Iraq were heading toward land crossings into Turkey while domestic flights filled quickly.

“In that situation every decision had to be quick,” she said.

“If we had been slower, we might have been stuck at the border.”

Nguyen Duc Giang, another traveler, said his group had planned a multi-country trip in Europe but had to adjust plans after flights were disrupted.

Because one member’s visa was nearing expiry, the group split in two, with those closest to visa deadlines traveling first to another destination while waiting for flights back to Vietnam, he said.

After searching for tickets, they were able to book flights home before prices increased further.

“If we had waited longer, ticket prices could have risen very high,” Giang said.

Back home safely

Flight disruptions have also affected passengers traveling from Europe.

One traveler identified as B. said his mother’s February 28 flight from Finland to Hanoi was canceled after Qatar airspace closed.

The ticket had been purchased through Qatar Airways but the first leg from Helsinki was operated by Finnair.

After several days trying to change the booking, the family contacted Finnair directly and arranged a replacement itinerary via Tokyo, B. said.

His mother later returned safely to Vietnam.

Travel companies said they had activated emergency coordination as flight schedules changed.

Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, marketing and communications director at Vietnamese tour operator Vietravel, said several tour groups had been traveling in Dubai and Egypt before the disruptions.

By Wednesday, all of those travelers had returned safely to Vietnam, she said.