How are planes still flying through the Middle East?

The war in the Middle East has caused significant disruption to air travel around the world, including Australia.

With hubs such as Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai being used by countless Aussie travellers to get to Europe, thousands were left stranded when conflict began earlier this month.

Despite the threat of drone strikes and missiles in the area, thousands of Australians have been safely evacuated on repatriation flights offered by multiple airlines, but how are they able to do it, and what alternative flight routes should Aussies use if they want to get to Europe or other parts of the world?

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - AUG 07, 2015: Qatar Airways Airbus A330 tail livery at Manchester Airport Aug 07 2015.

Has Middle East airspace opened?

This question is hard to answer because it changes frequently.

For example, on Tuesday morning AEDT, the UAE announced it had closed all of its airspace as "an exceptional precautionary measure."

They announced they had lifted the closure just a couple of hours later, meaning major airlines Emirates and Etihad were able to resume operations.

Much of Middle Eastern airspace remains closed, including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria and Bahrain; Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman still have their airspaces open, but with restrictions in place that limit where exactly planes can fly over.

As it stands, most flights that traditionally fly through the Middle East are having to either fly over Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Armenia through to Turkey, passing over the Middle East region.

However, Afghanistan's current conflict with Pakistan could also dissuade airlines from using this route.

Does Qantas fly to the Middle East?

Australia's national airline Qantas does not currently fly to the Middle East.

For a time during the 2010s it used Dubai International Airport as a hub to connect itself to European destinations such as London, but this changed in 2017 when it shifted its focus to Singapore.

The Middle East conflict has forced it to change the way it flies, however, with its usual non-stop flight from Perth to London Heathrow Airport having to go via Singapore.

This is because a fuel stop is now required due to "adjustments required on flight paths", the company said on its website last week.

What airlines fly to the Middle East?

Several airlines fly to the Middle East, departing from multiple airports within Australia.

Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth have daily flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi with Emirates and Qatar Airways respectively, with the latter also flying out of Adelaide.

Qatar Airways also flies to Canberra, but the flights travel via Melbourne.

Etihad Airways also has daily flights departing from Sydney and Melbourne to their main hub of Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

What are the alternative flight routes avoiding the Middle East?

Travellers who would normally travel through the Middle East to reach destinations in Europe or Africa can still do so via several hubs in Asia.

Singapore, with connections to many major cities around the world and relatively close to Australia, could be considered the best option for Australia travellers, as it flies out of multiple Australian cities.

Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Tokyo also serve as hubs that connect to several major destinations in different continents that Aussies would normally use the Middle East as their connection point.

However, the cost of flights in these regions are now beginning to soar due to increased demand.

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Former winner Singapore Airlines came in second place this year.

Is travel time longer for flights that avoid the Middle East?

Flights that connect to Europe through Singapore and other Asian destinations are actually a little bit shorter in time than those which would go through the Middle East.

If Aussies are travelling to Europe via the Middle East, like through Dubai or Doha, it can take around 24-26 hours due to having to be re-routed around restricted airspace, and due to congestion problems that can occur at the busy airports.

Flying through Asia, for example thorough Singapore or even Hong Kong and Tokyo, can take between 22 and 24 hours depending on the specific flight.

This is because flights through Asia, particularly in the northern regions, avoid the restricted airspace in and around the Middle East, allowing them to fly a more direct route to Europe.

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