Cheap flights are becoming increasingly difficult to find as airlines grapple with elevated fuel costs and rising operational expenses. Higher jet fuel prices, supply constraints, and strong travel demand are keeping ticket prices elevated across many routes. Here's why airfares remain stubbornly high and what travelers can expect in the months ahead

Airfares soar as fuel costs stay high 

Airfare prices in Europe and Asia are showing signs of cooling down after a period of rapid increase. This next report explores what's driving this shift and how it impacts travellers around the world.

Airfares fall in Europe & Asia

As tensions grow in Middle East after Iran fired missiles into Israel on April 13, flight prices from India to Europe and other Western countries may go up because airlines will change their routes.

Indian airlines Air India and Vistara said they won't fly over Iran to get to Europe and other destinations in the West&nbsp;because of the tensions. Instead, they'll take longer routes to avoid the fighting.

“Due to the current situation affecting parts of the Middle East, we are making changes to flight paths of some of our flights. Contingency routes, which are kept available to ensure operational continuity during such eventualities, are being used instead,” Vistara spokesperson told&nbsp;Moneycontrol.

“We will be taking longer routes as a precautionary measure, resulting in increased travel time to reach destinations. This may result in longer flight times on certain routes and associated delays. The situation is being monitored closely and further changes will be made if required,” the spokesperson added.

The decision by airlines to opt for longer routes could result in higher airfares for Indian consumers. An Air India spokesperson informed Moneycontrol that they are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East. Currently, the airline is adjusting its flight paths to prioritize the safety of passengers and crew.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-asia-crisis-us-to-stay-out-of-israeli-counter-strike-on-iran-joe-biden-tells-netanyahu-711229">Also read |&nbsp;West Asia crisis: US won’t be part of Israeli counter-strike on Iran, Joe Biden tells Netanyahu</a>

On April 12, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a travel advisory for Iran and Israel, advising Indians to refrain from travelling to these countries until further notice.

In response to escalating tensions in the Middle East, airlines worldwide have implemented precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their passengers and crew. Iran stated that its attack was in retaliation to alleged Israeli airstrikes on Iran's embassy in Damascus on April 1.

<h2>Iran attacks Israel&nbsp;</h2>

Iran fired drones and missiles at Israel after vowing revenge for an attack on its consulate in Damascus. Israel hasn't admitted to the consulate strike, but many believe it was responsible.

This is the first time Iran has directly attacked Israel. Before this, Israel and Iran had been quietly attacking each other's assets without admitting it.

Also watch |&nbsp;Iran attacks Israel: Iran says, 'attack a retaliation of Israel's repeated crimes'

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(With inputs from agencies)

As tensions grow in Middle East after Iran fired missiles into Israel on April 13, flight prices from India to Europe and other Western countries may go up because airlines will change their routes.

As tensions grow in Middle East after Iran fired missiles into Israel on April 13, flight prices from India to Europe and other Western countries may go up because airlines will change their routes. Indian airlines Air India and Vistara said they won't fly over Iran to get to Europe and other destinations in the West because of the tensions. Instead, they'll take longer routes to avoid the fighting. “Due to the current situation affecting parts of the Middle East, we are making changes to flight paths of some of our flights. Contingency routes, which are kept available to ensure operational continuity during such eventualities, are being used instead,” Vistara spokesperson told Moneycontrol. “We will be taking longer routes as a precautionary measure, resulting in increased travel time to reach destinations. This may result in longer flight times on certain routes and associated delays. The situation is being monitored closely and further changes will be made if required,” the spokesperson added. The decision by airlines to opt for longer routes could result in higher airfares for Indian consumers. An Air India spokesperson informed Moneycontrol that they are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East. Currently, the airline is adjusting its flight paths to prioritize the safety of passengers and crew. Also read | West Asia crisis: US won’t be part of Israeli counter-strike on Iran, Joe Biden tells Netanyahu On April 12, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a travel advisory for Iran and Israel, advising Indians to refrain from travelling to these countries until further notice. In response to escalating tensions in the Middle East, airlines worldwide have implemented precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their passengers and crew. Iran stated that its attack was in retaliation to alleged Israeli airstrikes on Iran's embassy in Damascus on April 1. Iran attacks Israel Iran fired drones and missiles at Israel after vowing revenge for an attack on its consulate in Damascus. Israel hasn't admitted to the consulate strike, but many believe it was responsible. This is the first time Iran has directly attacked Israel. Before this, Israel and Iran had been quietly attacking each other's assets without admitting it. Also watch | Iran attacks Israel: Iran says, 'attack a retaliation of Israel's repeated crimes' (With inputs from agencies)

West Asia crisis: Flight ticket prices may rise as tensions soar between Iran and Israel

Air travel costs will increase significantly next year all over the world. Airfares will increase by as much as 12 per cent on Europe-Asia routes and 10 per cent for America-Asia flights, a report by American Express Global Business Travel said.

Air travel costs are already higher than the pre-pandemic levels all over the world. Furthermore, the war in Ukraine will continue to aggravate airfares even more, as flights between Europe and Asia have to reroute by avoiding Russian airspace. The Russian airspace remains off-limits for non-Russia airlines following the launch of 'special military operations' by Russia in Ukraine in February this year.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/global-airline-industry-to-report-billions-in-losses-this-year-may-return-to-profit-in-2023-iata-540639">Global airline industry to report billions in losses this year; may return to profit in 2023: IATA</a>

One of the biggest airfare rises will be for business-class tickets within Australia, which are forecast to rise by about 19 per cent, according to the report.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-business-watch-us-air-travel-to-be-highest-in-three-years-536292">World Business Watch: US air travel to be highest in three years</a>

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Economy class airfares on the Europe-Asia route will increase more than business class. The forecast suggests that economy fares will increase by 12 per cent on the Europe-Asia route while business class fares will rise by 7.6 per cent on average.&nbsp;

Compared with 2019, economy-class airfares from Asia to North America will be nearly 23 per cent higher and business will be about 15 per cent more expensive.

What else is driving global airfare rise?

Inflation, rising fuel costs and capacity constraints of airlines continue to drive airfares worldwide. All over the world, airlines have cut capacities in terms of staff to deal with high fuel costs, following which a significant elevation in airfares has been reported worldwide.

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Air travel costs will increase significantly next year all over the world. Airfares will increase by as much as 12 per cent on Europe-Asia routes and 10 per cent for America-Asia flights, a report by American Express Global Business Travel said.

Air travel costs will increase significantly next year all over the world. Airfares will increase by as much as 12 per cent on Europe-Asia routes and 10 per cent for America-Asia flights, a report by American Express Global Business Travel said. Air travel costs are already higher than the pre-pandemic levels all over the world. Furthermore, the war in Ukraine will continue to aggravate airfares even more, as flights between Europe and Asia have to reroute by avoiding Russian airspace. The Russian airspace remains off-limits for non-Russia airlines following the launch of 'special military operations' by Russia in Ukraine in February this year. ALSO READ | Global airline industry to report billions in losses this year; may return to profit in 2023: IATA One of the biggest airfare rises will be for business-class tickets within Australia, which are forecast to rise by about 19 per cent, according to the report. WATCH | World Business Watch: US air travel to be highest in three years × Economy class airfares on the Europe-Asia route will increase more than business class. The forecast suggests that economy fares will increase by 12 per cent on the Europe-Asia route while business class fares will rise by 7.6 per cent on average. Compared with 2019, economy-class airfares from Asia to North America will be nearly 23 per cent higher and business will be about 15 per cent more expensive. What else is driving global airfare rise? Inflation, rising fuel costs and capacity constraints of airlines continue to drive airfares worldwide. All over the world, airlines have cut capacities in terms of staff to deal with high fuel costs, following which a significant elevation in airfares has been reported worldwide. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Airfares set to rise in 2023; economy fares on some routes to rise more than business

Let us take a look at stories generating interest across WION's social media channels. In today's video we cover lawsuit claims children stopped eating or sleeping because of fortnite, Elon Musk's second installment of Twitter files, airfares set to rise in 2023 in news.

Trending on WION: Women protesters in Iran targeted by security forces

Spot airfares for Wednesday and Thursday saw a steep rise on important routes across the country as the government grounded Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

According to data provided by Yatra.com, the spot airfare on Wednesday was more than double on heavy traffic routes like Mumbai-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Mumbai, Chennai-Delhi, Delhi-Kolkata and Mumbai- Chennai, when compared to the spot airfare that was there on March 13 last year.

The same was noticed for Thursday as well on routes like Mumbai-Delhi, Bengaluru-Delhi, Mumbai-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata, Mumbai-Hyderabad and Mumbai-Chennai when compared to the same period last year.

All Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft operated by Indian airline companies have been grounded and around 35 flights of SpiceJet would be cancelled on Thursday consequently, Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola said.

Meanwhile, Jet Airways Wednesday withdrew five more aircraft from service owing to non-payment of lease rentals, taking the total number of such non-operational aircraft to 37.

The Yatra.com data showed that ticket prices on Mumbai-Chennai routes have increased to Rs 20,329 for March 14. The spot fare on March 14 last year was Rs 5,671.

The Mumbai-Delhi ticket of March 14 has the spot fare of Rs 13,495, which is higher by 137 per cent when compared to the spot fare of March 14 last year.

"At least 50 planes are out of action or ground on the domestic front owing to multiple reasons...The airfares were at least 15 per cent higher this year compared to last year, and owing to the current situation, airfares are expected to rise further this season," said Sharat Dhall, Chief Operating Officer (B2C), Yatra.com.

As the Ethiopian Airlines' 737 Max 8 crashed near Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people onboard on Sunday, Indian aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last night announced that the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft would be "immediately" grounded.

SpiceJet has been most affected by the grounding of the 737 Max 8 aircraft as it has 12 of them in its fleet.

The Aviation Secretary said March 14 will be a "challenging" day as "out of 520 odd flights that SpiceJet flies every day, about 30-35 flights will have to be cancelled.

Spot airfares for Wednesday and Thursday saw a steep rise on important routes across the country as the government grounded Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. According to data provided by Yatra.

Spot airfares for Wednesday and Thursday saw a steep rise on important routes across the country as the government grounded Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. According to data provided by Yatra.com, the spot airfare on Wednesday was more than double on heavy traffic routes like Mumbai-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Mumbai, Chennai-Delhi, Delhi-Kolkata and Mumbai- Chennai, when compared to the spot airfare that was there on March 13 last year. The same was noticed for Thursday as well on routes like Mumbai-Delhi, Bengaluru-Delhi, Mumbai-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata, Mumbai-Hyderabad and Mumbai-Chennai when compared to the same period last year. All Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft operated by Indian airline companies have been grounded and around 35 flights of SpiceJet would be cancelled on Thursday consequently, Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola said. Meanwhile, Jet Airways Wednesday withdrew five more aircraft from service owing to non-payment of lease rentals, taking the total number of such non-operational aircraft to 37. The Yatra.com data showed that ticket prices on Mumbai-Chennai routes have increased to Rs 20,329 for March 14. The spot fare on March 14 last year was Rs 5,671. The Mumbai-Delhi ticket of March 14 has the spot fare of Rs 13,495, which is higher by 137 per cent when compared to the spot fare of March 14 last year. "At least 50 planes are out of action or ground on the domestic front owing to multiple reasons...The airfares were at least 15 per cent higher this year compared to last year, and owing to the current situation, airfares are expected to rise further this season," said Sharat Dhall, Chief Operating Officer (B2C), Yatra.com. As the Ethiopian Airlines' 737 Max 8 crashed near Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people onboard on Sunday, Indian aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last night announced that the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft would be "immediately" grounded. SpiceJet has been most affected by the grounding of the 737 Max 8 aircraft as it has 12 of them in its fleet. The Aviation Secretary said March 14 will be a "challenging" day as "out of 520 odd flights that SpiceJet flies every day, about 30-35 flights will have to be cancelled.

Spot airfares see a steep rise as government bans Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft

Ryanair on Monday unveiled plans for an overhaul to create four subsidiaries, as the Irish no-frills airline revealed also a third-quarter loss of 20 million euros and said a no-deal Brexit "remains worryingly high".

Mirroring a set-up by British Airways and Iberia owner IAG, a statement said Ryanair planned to have four distinct operations, each with its own chief executive.

The airline's current chief executive, Michael O'Leary, will head up the overall group, Ryanair said. Under him will be Ryanair DAC overseeing the Irish operations and there will be also Ryanair UK, Laudamotion for its Austrian business and Ryanair Sun, or Polish unit.

"Having agreed to this group strategy as the best way to grow Ryanair, Sun, Lauda and other possible airline brands, Michael O'Leary has agreed a new five-year contract as group CEO," the statement said.

It added: "Over the next 12 months Ryanair Holdings Plc will move to a group structure not dissimilar to that of IAG.&nbsp;

"A small senior management team will oversee the development of four airline subsidiaries... (focusing) upon efficient capital allocation, cost reductions, aircraft acquisitions, and small scale M&amp;A opportunities," the statement said

On the latest group earnings performance, O'Leary said that while the 20 million euros ($23 million) net loss was "disappointing", the group takes "comfort that this was entirely due to weaker than expected airfares".

Last month, Ryanair cut its annual profit forecast for a second time, blaming lower airfares caused by overcapacity in the European short-haul sector.

Following Monday's update, Ryanair's share price slumped 4.4 per cent to 10.94 euros.

“For all the controversy and success, investors are entitled to at least question if O'Leary is the right man to take the company forward given the patchy recent track record and a stalling share price," said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.

"A new management structure... will probably put some distance between him and the unions."

Ryanair's recent performance has been hit also by pan-European strikes last year that forced it to cancel flights, affecting thousands of passengers, and offer improved pay deals to staff via landmark deals with unions.

On Monday meanwhile, the Dublin-based airline again spoke out on Brexit.

"The risk of a 'no-deal' Brexit remains worryingly high. While we hope that common sense will prevail and lead to either a delay in Brexit or agreement on the 21-month transition deal currently on the table, we have taken all necessary steps to protect Ryanair’s business in a no-deal environment," the statement said.&nbsp;

Britain accounts for about one-quarter of revenues at Ryanair, causing the airline to warn frequently about potential fallout from the UK's rocky path to exiting the European Union.

And while the airline sector as a whole took a knock last year from high oil prices, a sharp reduction in fuel costs in recent months has removed such pressures.

But the European short-haul sector remains weighed down by fierce competition despite some consolidation, including Ryanair's purchase of Austrian carrier Laudamotion in 2018.&nbsp;

Ryanair on Monday unveiled plans for an overhaul to create four subsidiaries, as the Irish no-frills airline revealed also a third-quarter loss of 20 million euros and said a no-deal Brexit "remains worryingly high".

Ryanair on Monday unveiled plans for an overhaul to create four subsidiaries, as the Irish no-frills airline revealed also a third-quarter loss of 20 million euros and said a no-deal Brexit "remains worryingly high". Mirroring a set-up by British Airways and Iberia owner IAG, a statement said Ryanair planned to have four distinct operations, each with its own chief executive. The airline's current chief executive, Michael O'Leary, will head up the overall group, Ryanair said. Under him will be Ryanair DAC overseeing the Irish operations and there will be also Ryanair UK, Laudamotion for its Austrian business and Ryanair Sun, or Polish unit. "Having agreed to this group strategy as the best way to grow Ryanair, Sun, Lauda and other possible airline brands, Michael O'Leary has agreed a new five-year contract as group CEO," the statement said. It added: "Over the next 12 months Ryanair Holdings Plc will move to a group structure not dissimilar to that of IAG. "A small senior management team will oversee the development of four airline subsidiaries... (focusing) upon efficient capital allocation, cost reductions, aircraft acquisitions, and small scale M&A opportunities," the statement said On the latest group earnings performance, O'Leary said that while the 20 million euros ($23 million) net loss was "disappointing", the group takes "comfort that this was entirely due to weaker than expected airfares". Last month, Ryanair cut its annual profit forecast for a second time, blaming lower airfares caused by overcapacity in the European short-haul sector. Following Monday's update, Ryanair's share price slumped 4.4 per cent to 10.94 euros. “For all the controversy and success, investors are entitled to at least question if O'Leary is the right man to take the company forward given the patchy recent track record and a stalling share price," said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. "A new management structure... will probably put some distance between him and the unions." Ryanair's recent performance has been hit also by pan-European strikes last year that forced it to cancel flights, affecting thousands of passengers, and offer improved pay deals to staff via landmark deals with unions. On Monday meanwhile, the Dublin-based airline again spoke out on Brexit. "The risk of a 'no-deal' Brexit remains worryingly high. While we hope that common sense will prevail and lead to either a delay in Brexit or agreement on the 21-month transition deal currently on the table, we have taken all necessary steps to protect Ryanair’s business in a no-deal environment," the statement said. Britain accounts for about one-quarter of revenues at Ryanair, causing the airline to warn frequently about potential fallout from the UK's rocky path to exiting the European Union. And while the airline sector as a whole took a knock last year from high oil prices, a sharp reduction in fuel costs in recent months has removed such pressures. But the European short-haul sector remains weighed down by fierce competition despite some consolidation, including Ryanair's purchase of Austrian carrier Laudamotion in 2018.

Ryanair to restructure, posts quarterly loss

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