BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s aviation regulator said disruptions at Middle East hubs were expected to ease from late March, bringing down sharply increased ticket prices.
Middle East hubs remained key bottleneck
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), most airlines based in the Middle East had not yet fully restored normal operations.
Only some individual connections from Oman were reported to be running without major restrictions, while other networks remained curtailed.
Connecting routes hit the hardest
The authority stated that international routes heavily reliant on Middle Eastern hubs for connections were the most affected for the time being.
Because these key nodes were operating only on a limited basis, passengers increasingly shifted to direct flights between Asia and Europe.
Direct flights grew scarce – and more expensive
This diversion trend suddenly pushed up demand for seats on direct routes, according to CAAT.
For last-minute bookings, often only the higher fare classes remained available, which drove prices further upward on many affected routes.
Early planners and flexible travelers still had options
The authority advised travelers to plan trips as far in advance as possible in order to secure access to cheaper fare allocations.
It added that passengers with flexible schedules could choose alternative routings via countries where connecting services were still offered on a regular basis.
Focus on fuel prices and possible measures
In parallel, CAAT monitored the development of aviation fuel costs linked to the situation in the Middle East and coordinated with airlines on the issue.
The goal was to discuss measures that could support a balanced fare level and reduce the burden on passengers, while the authority also stressed that no stranded passengers had so far been reported at Thai airports.
Your view on price spikes
The original report invited readers to comment on how airlines and authorities should respond when international hubs fail and direct flights are suddenly overwhelmed.
It also raised the question of whether pure market mechanisms should prevail or whether clearer guardrails against extreme ticket prices were needed.