Australian couple tried switching flight to Middle East charged $3,500 fee

When an Australian couple tried postponing a trip to the Middle East, citing the ongoing tension in the region, they were told it was cost them an extra $3,500.

Sharon Latour and her husband were set to fly through Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways this Wednesday.

However, their business class flight has not been cancelled or postponed, and will take off as scheduled — conflict or no.

Etihad representatives said in order to switch their trip to sometime in 2026, they’d need to fork over another $3,500.

“I kept repeating over the phone: ‘We’re genuinely scared, we’re not making this up.’ [But] not a care in the world,” Latour told The Guardian. “They’re just like, ‘Well, pay the [fee].’”

The Australian government has been warning travelers to avoid the region after Israel and Iran spent 12 days at war this month.

Now, officials are saying stronger protections are needed for Australian passengers.

Unfortunately, Latour booked the flights while in Malaysia. Had she done so in Australia, she at least would’ve had some legal standing to challenge the fee.

“Etihad flights are operating normally and to schedule,” the airline said Friday night. “The airline only operates through approved airspace and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.”

The airline permits re-bookings and offered refunds if they are forced to cancel a flight.

Latour told The Guardian she will not be boarding her flight Wednesday.