Are Bali flights via the UAE reliable during Middle East conflicts, or is an East Asia transit route safer?
Based on 2 discussions with 3 participants · Last activity: 14 days ago
TL;DR
Traveler reports suggest that Bali itineraries via the UAE can become unreliable during regional conflicts: one canceled flight led to roughly USD 30,000 in extra tickets and hotel costs for a family of four. In such periods, East Asia transit hubs like Shanghai are seen as a safer fallback.
What the community said
The latest advice is to look beyond the airline brand and consider overall route resilience: carriers may face fleet maintenance and spare-parts constraints, so during disruptions it is smart to have a backup departure plan from Bali.
14 days ago
One real Bali case involved a family of two adults and two children booked via the UAE whose flight was canceled after hostilities began. Replacement tickets via Shanghai plus extra accommodation ended up costing about USD 30,000 after their prepaid hotel stay ran out.
14 days ago UAE, Shanghai, about USD 30,000
Some travelers deliberately avoid Arab transit hubs for Bali trips during Middle East tensions. Their reasoning is that when fuel supply and routing issues arise, the transit point itself becomes the main risk factor.
14 days ago UAE and other Gulf hubs