The war is hitting Poles’ wallets. Holiday prices are going up
The war in the Middle East is causing major disruption to the aviation and tourism industries. Experts warn that we can expect ticket prices to increase in the coming weeks.
Thousands of travelers from around the world, including Poles, are stuck in the Middle East trying to return home. Some carriers, including Etihad and Emirates, resumed selected connections, while LOT extended the temporary suspension of its flights. Currently, the Polish carrier does not operate flights to Dubai until March 6, to Riyadh until March 8 and to Tel Aviv until March 18
Holidays in 2026 will be more expensive. Ticket prices are going up
During the conference in Warsaw, Michael O’Leary, the head of Ryanair, emphasized that even after the conflict ends, interest in traveling to Gulf countries may remain low for a long time. However, if the war is prolonged, the consequences for aviation and tourism will be even more severe
We can already see the effects of rising oil prices, which will soon affect ticket prices. This will most affect carriers from the Middle East, such as Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Air Arabia, which have built their hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Riyadh. These cities have become key transfer points for travelers from Europe to Asia.
According to Mariusz Piotrowski from the Fly4free website, the conflict may change the balance of power on intercontinental routes. Airlines from the Persian Gulf region may lose their leadership position, while Chinese carriers may gain by using the airspace over Russia.
“Ryanair the biggest winner”
In Europe, however, there will be an increase in interest in shorter flights, which may also increase ticket and tour prices. – In the case of European airlines, the winner will be the one who ordered the most fuel for the future at an agreed price. It’s about hedging. Ryanair can benefit twice. It has contracted a lot of fuel for the next two years. Additionally, the airline will gain during the holidays because it focuses on flying around Europe – explained the expert in an interview with “DGP”.
Regardless of how long the war in the Middle East lasts, the tourism and aviation industries must prepare for an increase in the costs of trips abroad. For now, it is difficult to estimate how high the increases will be.
