Europe airfares spike as demand shifts to direct flights; CAAT says up 100%
Airfares on Europe routes have surged as travellers switch to direct services and avoid Middle East transit hubs, tightening seat supply across major international routes. Thailand’s CAAT said ticket prices on available international services—especially to Europe—have jumped by more than 100%, while Thai Airways reported a sharp rise in bookings but said its operations were not disrupted.
Europe fares jump as demand shifts to direct flights
Airfares on European routes have climbed sharply in recent days as travellers increasingly choose direct flights and avoid transiting through Middle East hubs, pushing demand higher while available seats remain limited.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said the imbalance has driven international ticket prices—particularly on Europe routes—up by more than double, or around 100%, as capacity from several Middle East carriers operating in Thailand has been reduced and remaining services have quickly filled up.
Ticket examples: Bangkok–London tops 70,000 baht one-way
Examples cited on March 4, 2026 include:
- Thai Airways, Bangkok–London: one-way fares rose to 71,190 baht (US$2,265), compared with an average of above 30,000 baht previously cited by CAAT.
- Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong–London: seats reportedly sold out through March 11, with one-way economy fares at 85,266 baht (HK$21,158), up from a typical level of about HK$5,000 (around 20,150 baht).
- Air China, Beijing–London: return fares are normally under 50,000 baht, but one-way business-class fares surged to more than 240,000 baht (50,490 yuan).
- Singapore Airlines: CAAT cited fares rising to 58,000 baht, with seats booked out through next week.
CAAT said travellers—particularly from Europe and the Middle East—are willing to pay more for direct flights to avoid the risk of being stranded at connection points.
CAAT: no power to cap international fares
CAAT said it has no authority to control international ticket price ceilings. Fares are set by market competition and international agreements and typically reflect demand and supply, seasonality and each airline’s pricing policy. The regulator said its role focuses on flight slot allocation, passenger rights and safety oversight.
Risk of further increases if oil prices rise
CAAT warned that rising global oil prices could increase aviation costs further. Airlines affected may seek approval to raise fuel surcharges for air cargo, which could be incorporated into ticket prices and push fares higher still. However, CAAT said it has not yet received any requests for surcharge increases.
Thai Airways: operations unaffected, bookings surge
Chai Eamsiri, chief executive of Thai Airways International Plc, told Thansettakij that the airline’s operations have not been affected because none of its routes pass directly over the conflict zone. Thai Airways continues to use its usual routing via Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, with flight times increasing by only 5–10 minutes, which he said is not significant.
He said bookings on Thai Airways’ Europe routes have increased sharply as passengers who previously transited through Middle East hubs switch to direct flights. With most flights nearly full, fares are being set under dynamic pricing, adjusting to heavy demand. Thai Airways has also received more charter flight enquiries from private-sector clients in Thailand and overseas.
Background: wider Middle East disruption
Middle East airspace disruptions following the escalation of fighting have led to widespread flight cancellations and rerouting, squeezing capacity and reshaping global passenger flows—especially on routes connecting Asia with Europe and North America.
