(March 26): Travellers hoping for a drop in long-haul summer airfares are in for a brutal reality check. For June travel, fares across seven popular Asia-Pacific to Europe routes are averaging about 70% higher than a year ago, based on Alton’s analysis of data from analytics firm Cirium and online travel agencies. Airspace closures, reduced capacity at Gulf hubs and rising fuel costs have combined to push fares higher — and are expected to keep them there for months. Demand is already starting to soften due to travel uncertainty and higher fares. “If travellers see that flights are getting cancelled, delayed and disrupted, they will carefully consider whether to travel and how to travel.”

Source: The Edge Markets March 26, 2026 06:27 UTC