BANGKOK, THAILAND – Airfares from Asia to Europe jumped sharply in recent days as travelers avoided Middle East stopovers and switched to direct routes.
Why airfares suddenly soared
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) reported fare increases of more than 100 percent on available international routes, especially to Europe. The regulator linked the surge to a rapid shift in demand away from connections via Middle East hubs toward non-stop services.
At the same time, seat capacity tightened. Several Middle East carriers active in Thailand reportedly reduced their operations, and the remaining flights filled up quickly, further pushing up prices.
CAAT highlights ticket prices as warning sign
On 4 March, CAAT cited examples to illustrate how sharply fares had risen in a short period. A recent one-way ticket on Thai Airways from Bangkok to London cost 71,190 baht, compared with previously typical averages of “over 30,000 baht.”
The authority presented these figures as an indication of unusual market pressure and urged travelers to be aware of the steep increases on popular Europe-bound routes.
Sold out for days – and sometimes astronomical
Other connections were also sold out for several days ahead, adding further momentum to the price spiral. According to CAAT, Cathay Pacific reported no available seats on the Hong Kong–London route until 11 March.
For that route, an economy one-way ticket was listed at 85,266 Hong Kong dollars, with 21,158 Hong Kong dollars cited, instead of the roughly 5,000 Hong Kong dollars usually charged. Singapore Airlines was said to be fully booked until next week and to have raised fares to as much as 58,000 baht.
Fear of transit chaos boosts willingness to pay
In CAAT’s assessment, it was above all travelers from Europe and the Middle East who were willing to pay significantly more for direct flights. Many passengers wanted to avoid the risk of being stranded at transit airports if the situation worsened or flights were suddenly cancelled.
This concern was driving a clear preference for point-to-point connections, even at very high fares, according to the regulator.
Regulator cannot cap international airfares
The CAAT stressed that it had no legal authority to impose price ceilings on international tickets. Airfares were formed by competition and international agreements and typically followed supply and demand, seasonal factors and airline pricing strategies.
The agency’s mandate mainly covered slots, passenger rights and safety oversight, not direct intervention in commercial pricing by airlines.
Next risk – oil prices could push costs higher
The authority also warned that rising global oil prices could further increase aviation costs. Affected airlines could then apply for approval to raise fuel surcharges, which would ultimately be reflected in ticket prices.
However, the CAAT said it had not yet received any such applications, even as it monitored the situation closely.
Thai Airways reports booking boom – operations stable
Chai Eamsiri, CEO of Thai Airways International Plc, told the newspaper Thansettakij that the carrier’s operations had not been affected because none of its routes flew directly over the conflict zone.
“Thai Airways continues to fly over Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, and flight times have only increased by 5 to 10 minutes, while our Europe flights are now almost full due to many transit passengers switching to direct services and prices are being adjusted dynamically to the strong demand.”
said Chai Eamsiri, CEO of Thai Airways International Plc.
He underlined that flights to Europe were operating normally, with the airline using dynamic pricing to respond to the surge in bookings.