Australian travellers are increasingly choosing cheap airfares over caution, booking flights through the Middle East to reach Europe and the UK despite ongoing security concerns and air travel disruptions.
The trend highlights resilient demand for overseas travel that has proved largely immune to geopolitical instability, and an unwillingness by consumers to pay more than absolutely necessary for airfares during the cost-of-living crunch.
Mark Trim, director of Complex Travel, said fares for flights to Europe via routes that avoid the war regions of the Middle East now carry what he describes as a "danger premium".
When the Iran war broke out earlier this year, risk-averse travellers pivoted towards carriers such as Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific that bypass Middle Eastern airspace. However, increased demand for these flights, higher fuel costs and longer flight times caused by carriers changing routes drove up ticket prices.
By contrast, Gulf carriers Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad are trying to lure back travellers with discounts and often more direct routes as the conflict drags on.
For many, airfare pricing has reached a point where discounts can outweigh security concerns. Images last week showed thick black smoke and flames rising from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, illustrating the risks travellers are weighing against price.