Some Kiwi travellers are cancelling booked trips and others are said to be taking a wait-and-see approach due to the events unfolding in the Middle East—although one travel group has reported strong sales in the past week.
Many agents have been working around the clock to reaccommodate passengers disrupted by UAE/Qatar airspace closures.
Some say they have been counselling clients looking to cancel (even later this year), and many say they have been able to devise elaborate plans to still get their clients to their booked cruise or land tour.
It’s been a stressful time, and triggering for some, however it seems the consultants have used their learnings from C-19. The more pragmatic agents and brokers say they’re charging fees and many have their commissions protected.
Emirates has resumed its services between Auckland and Dubai and its Christchurch via Sydney Dubai ser vice, and Qatar Airways has started to operate some flights to select points.
However, the agents contacted say many people with imminent travel were rebooked on alternative routes last week, while a higher number of those travelling in the short-term via the Middle East, are still evaluating their options.
“Some of that is being driven by the spiking cost of flights and availability on other carriers,” says one agent.
. . . Upside
Wanderlust Travel Experts’ Cath McLeod says she’s been in close contact with her members and is upbeat about the situation, given the volume of new sales coming in.
“Some clients have deferred imminent Jordan and Egypt travel, and we have had a handful of other cancellations—but generally-speaking our members have been able to come up with solutions and work around for their clients,” she says. “Many clients have chosen to re-route to continue their non-refundable travel plans—but capacity and price may start to impact that.”
However, while some in the trade are wary about the long-term impact to Kiwi travel bookings in 2026— McLeod says at this stage its ‘new bookings continue to be strong’. The Wanderlust boss is quick to point out that it’s still early days, and she is realistic that the Middle East uncertainty may put a dampener on future bookings.
“But it’s really encouraging to see that Kiwis are still keen to travel to other destinations. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this crisis, but this situation has again endorsed the value of booking through a travel agent.”
