Those planning to holiday in Majorca this summer have been urged to book their flights as soon as possible amid soaring prices. The president of the Aviba travel agencies association in the Balearics, Pedro Fiol, has revealed that flight prices have risen by a staggering 15% amid uncertainty generated by the war in the Middle East, preventing many from booking holidays months in advance.
« If you want to travel this summer, book now, » Mr Fiol said. « There is a high degree of uncertainty, and right now many Mallorcans don’t know what kind of trip they will be able to afford in a few months. Therefore, even though they are advised to buy flights in advance, they are not in a position to do so. » On top of this, there has also been a huge surge in demand for package holidays.
« You can book for very little money and avoid potential price hikes, » Mr Fiol added, reported the Majorca Daily Bulletin. « Package holidays offer peace of mind for long-haul destinations and payment terms that mean customers don’t have to pay large sums of money upfront. »
The president’s comments came before the announcement of the 15-day ceasefire agreed between Donald Trump and Iran, which brought about an immediate fall in oil prices. However, market analysts and airlines have said that it will take time for the flight prices to come down. There is also no guarantee that the ceasefire will hold, they added.
The rise in oil prices driven by the Middle East conflict has pushed up aviation fuel costs, which account for up to 30% of airline operating costs. At the end of March, according to TravelSupermarket, the average price of a week to Ibiza had gone from £532 to £540, while a week to Majorca would have cost £516 per person if booked in February, was available for £570 a month later – an increase of £54 each or £218 for a family of four all paying the full price.
According to Mr Fiol, flights to Asia have seen the biggest price increases: « This year was going to be spectacular for Asia; there was enormous demand. However, the conflict has dashed those expectations, » after airlines have been unable to use airports such as Dubai for stopovers.
Global air travel remains severely disrupted, with many people still unable to fly as planned to destinations after the Iran war forced the closure of major Middle Eastern hubs, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Greece’s largest carrier, Aegean Airlines, has cancelled all flights to Riyadh and Amman until June 27 and to Tel Aviv and Beirut until June 26, while its operations to Erbil and Baghdad will not resume until July 2.
Spain’s Air Europa has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until May 3, while Air France will not return to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh until April 19.
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