The traditional flight path between Europe and Asia has long relied on Middle Eastern hubs, such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi; however, ongoing airspace closures and conflict across the region have forced airlines and travellers to rethink their routes.
With large parts of the Gulf airspace effectively closed and air travel heavily disrupted, major airlines are rapidly restructuring routes, creating new opportunities for passengers looking to avoid the Middle East altogether.
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Popular Hub Airports Affected
These are some of the most popular in the world for connecting flights between Europe and Asia, particularly by their flag carriers, but they are currently impacted as a result of airspace closure:
- Dubai (Emirates Hub)
- Doha (Qatar Airways Hub)
- Abu Dhabi (Etihad Airways Hub)
Airspace closures are continuing to affect many flights scheduled from London to destinations in Southeast Asia, such as Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Singapore, and Bangkok.
Best Alternative Routes
1. Using a Southeast Asia Hub (Reliable with Minimal Disruption)
This has become a very popular option to replace Gulf hub connections.
Example Route:
London → Singapore/Bangkok → onward Asia
Why It Works:
- Avoids conflict zones entirely
- Strong infrastructure and high flight frequency
- Multiple onward connection options across the Asia-Pacific with multiple airlines
Key Airlines:
- Singapore Airlines
- Thai Airways
- British Airways
Capacity Update (March 2026):
- British Airways is increasing flights to Singapore and Bangkok
- Asian carriers are seeing surging demand and are stepping in to fill the gap
2. Direct Flight Options (Fastest)
Direct long-haul flights are now very popular as they avoid both the Middle East and any potentially complex connections.
Example Route:
London → Kuala Lumpur/Singapore/Bangkok
Key Airlines & Destination Airports:
- Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
- Malaysia Airlines & British Airways (Kuala Lumpur)
- Thai Airways (Bangkok)
Capacity Update (March 2026):
- Thai Airways is increasing flights to Bangkok
- Malaysia Airlines & Singapore Airlines are increasing short-term capacity
3. Using A European Hub
Increasingly popular for travellers comfortable with stopovers in European cities.
Example Route:
London → Frankfurt/Helsinki → Asia
Key Airlines:
- Lufthansa
- Austrian Airlines
- Air India
Capacity Update (March 2026):
- Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines are adding short-term capacity on Asia routes
4. Using An India Hub
Example Route:
London → Delhi → Southeast Asia
Key Airlines:
- Air India
Capacity Update (March 2026):
- Air India added dozens of international services
For Travel to More Remote Destinations
Utilising a Southeast Asia Hub is a great option, but with so many airlines operating around Asia, you can consider booking a ticket to a major hub airport such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok, and a separate ticket onward to more remote destinations. This can help reduce the overall price by allowing the utilisation of many low-cost carriers operating in Southeast Asia, such as AirAsia, Scoot, and Jetstar Asia.
If booking separate flight tickets (self-transfer), it is recommended to leave at least 4+ hours for stopovers in case of delays, as airlines will not rebook tickets for free if your first flight is delayed. You will also likely need to collect and re-check baggage, so you should consider the additional time this will take. The longer your stopovers, the lower the risk of issues with connecting flights, so if they are in cities such as Singapore, why not spend a night and experience a new destination?
Flight Options From London (Examples)
To Kuching
Routes that can be booked on a single ticket:
- Malaysia Airlines: London → Kuala Lumpur → Kuching
- British Airways: London → Kuala Lumpur → Kuching
- Turkish Airlines: London → Istanbul → Kuala Lumpur → Kuching
- KLM: London → Amsterdam → Kuala Lumpur → Kuching
Direct flights from major Southeast Asia hub airports, if booking separate tickets:
- Malaysia Airlines: Fly from Kuala Lumpur
- AirAsia: Fly from Kuala Lumpur
- Scoot: Fly from Singapore
To Balikpapan
Routes that can be booked on a single ticket:
- Singapore Airlines: London → Singapore → Balikpapan
- Garuda Indonesia: London → Amsterdam → Jakarta → Balikpapan
Direct flights from major Southeast Asia hub airports, if booking separate tickets:
- Scoot: Fly from Singapore
- Malaysia Airlines: Fly from Kuala Lumpur
To Palangkaraya
Travel from London to Palangkaraya usually requires booking two separate tickets: typically to Jakarta, and then directly onward.
Routes from London to Jakarta that can be booked on a single ticket (1 stopover):
- Garuda Indonesia: London → Amsterdam → Jakarta
- Turkish Airlines: London → Istanbul → Jakarta
- Cathay Pacific: London → Hong Kong → Jakarta
- Malaysia Airlines: London → Kuala Lumpur → Jakarta
- Singapore Airlines: London → Singapore → Jakarta
- Thai Airways: London → Bangkok → Jakarta
Direct flights from Jakarta to Palangkaraya can be booked with:
- Batik Air
- Citilink
- Garuda Indonesia
Key Travel Considerations
While there are many travel routes that avoid stopovers at Middle East Hub airports, reduced capacity and flight re-routing, particularly at short notice, are resulting in limited availability and higher fares.
If you are looking to travel between the UK and Southeast Asia very soon, we recommend booking early and avoiding the Gulf:
- Best Overall: Utilise a Southeast Asia Hub (Singapore/Kuala Lumpur/Bangkok)
- Fastest: Direct flights to Asia
- Best for Availability: European Hubs (Frankfurt/Munich) with Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines
- Best New Option: Utilise the India Hub of Delhi for connecting flights
