It costs US$8,540 to fly economy on Singapore Airlines from Heathrow to the city state – a 900 per cent increase on fares later in the month
Asian carriers like Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines (SIA) are among the best positioned airlines to weather the war in the Middle East as travellers scramble for flights – and pay huge premiums – to escape the conflict.
Extensive airspace closures mean carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways have essentially ground to a halt, creating opportunities for rivals that can fly non-stop between Europe and Asia.
Passengers in European hubs are handing over huge sums of money to secure a seat to Asia on flights that bypass the Middle East.
A one-way economy ticket flying SIA from Heathrow to Singapore on Thursday cost US$8,540 – a 900 per cent increase on fares later in the month. The same ticket on a flight to Hong Kong is HK$26,737 (US$3,400), compared with HK$5,670 in just a few weeks from now.