Major airlines in China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) have announced special ticketing arrangements for their Middle Eastern routes, such as free refunds and rescheduling, in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran that began on 28 February.
The conflict has resulted in temporary airspace closure across the Middle East, as well as the suspension of operations at major airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, which were all targeted by Iran in retaliatory strikes against US assets in the region.
GBA carriers offering flexible ticket options include Guangzhou’s China Southern Airlines and Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific.
According to China Southern, passengers who purchased tickets before 28 February, 8 pm for Dubai, Riyadh, Tehran and Doha-linked flights scheduled between 28 February and 15 March, are eligible for a free rescheduling or refund.
The Guangzhou-based carrier announced yesterday that it had cancelled multiple Middle Eastern flights today and tomorrow, including services between Guangzhou and Doha, Dubai, Riyadh and Dubai, and between Urumqi and Dubai. Flights between Wuhan and Dubai, Beijing Daxing and Doha, as well as Shenzhen and Riyadh, are also affected.
[See more: Iran claims protests ‘under total control’ as US tones down retaliation threats]
Hong Kong’s flagship airline, Cathay Pacific, has also grounded its Middle Eastern flights, announcing yesterday that it was temporarily suspending flights with Dubai from 28 February to 5 March. Meanwhile, its services to and from Riyadh have been cancelled between 28 February and 3 March.
The airline said that passengers who purchased tickets for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha flights on or before 28 February would be eligible for a free refund, rebooking and rerouting, as long as their departure was scheduled from 28 February and 7 March.
Other major Chinese carriers are offering flexible ticketing options for the Middle Eastern services as well, including Shenzhen Airlines, Air China, China Eastern, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.
The ongoing conflict in Iran has disrupted thousands of flights across the world, with hundreds of thousands of travellers left stranded across airports worldwide.
According to the South China Morning Post, at least 27 flights from Hong Kong to Middle Eastern locations were cancelled yesterday.
