Thu Ha, a Hanoi resident, said she returned to Vietnam in early February to celebrate Lunar New Year and planned to fly back to Germany on March 8 with Qatar Airways. Her return ticket cost about VND 30 million (about USD 1,200), with a transit stop in Doha before continuing to Germany.
However, she recently received notice that flights through Doha had been suspended due to military tensions in the Middle East.
Unable to postpone her trip, she began searching for alternative flights. “A ticket with Vietnam Airlines costs up to VND 105 million (about USD 4,200), and at one point reached VND 150 million (about USD 6,000) for a direct 12-hour flight,” she said.
Faced with soaring prices, she chose a cheaper but much longer itinerary operated by Chinese carriers such as China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines. The route travels from Ho Chi Minh City to cities like Guangzhou, Beijing or Shanghai before connecting to destinations including Paris, Frankfurt or London.
Ha eventually booked a ticket with a stopover in Hong Kong. Although the journey would take about 50 hours including transit time, the fare was nearly VND 40 million (about USD 1,600).
“In more than 10 years living and working in Germany, this is the first time I’ve seen airfares increase so dramatically,” she said.
Mai Thanh Huyen, 45, who lives in Herford, has faced similar difficulties finding flights between Germany and Vietnam for trips in March and early April. She said round-trip tickets that previously cost around VND 40-45 million (about USD 1,600-1,800) have risen to nearly VND 80 million (about USD 3,200) per passenger.
Business-class fares have climbed to more than VND 200 million (about USD 8,000) one way.
According to Huyen, instability in the Middle East has heavily disrupted air routes between Europe and Asia because major transit hubs such as Dubai and Doha play a crucial role in connecting long-haul flights.
“When airspace is restricted or aircraft must take longer routes, fuel costs rise sharply and ticket prices follow,” she said.
Travel agencies in Ho Chi Minh City said many passengers travelling to Europe, Canada or the United States are now forced to change routes, transiting through airports in Seoul, Manila, Japan or China instead of Middle Eastern hubs.
One agent said a passenger recently had to pay VND 130 million (about USD 5,200) for a flight from Frankfurt to Vietnam because only business-class seats remained.
Demand has also driven up prices on other long-haul routes. A one-way direct flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Canada scheduled for April 1 was quoted at VND 99 million (about USD 4,000), two to three times the normal level.
Industry insiders say fares could continue rising if the conflict in the Middle East persists. Higher oil prices and longer flight paths are pushing up operating costs for airlines, while rerouting through alternative transit hubs requires new flight approvals that may take time to arrange.
