Qantas issued a commercial policy update on 2 March 2026 covering customers holding QF-081-series tickets for travel between 1 and 5 March 2026 to, from or via the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Israel, Jordan and Oman. Passengers may re-book onto any available Qantas-operated flight within ±10 days of the original departure in the same cabin without change fees or fare differences. Alternatively, they can convert their fare to a Flight Credit or obtain a refund.
To facilitate the waiver, travel agents must enter authority code 460895 in the endorsement box when re-issuing tickets. Qantas says additional fare/tax collection is not required as long as the new itinerary remains in the same cabin. The airline has also relaxed booking-class restrictions, allowing the lowest available inventory in the cabin if the original class is unavailable.
For travellers scrambling to reroute, visa and transit requirements can shift just as quickly as flight schedules. VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) lets passengers and their travel managers verify entry rules for new transit points, submit online applications and track approvals in real time, ensuring documentation keeps pace with any last-minute itinerary changes.
![Qantas introduces fee-free changes and refunds for tickets affected by Middle East airspace closure]()
The policy mirrors concessions announced by alliance partners Emirates and Qatar Airways, underscoring the coordinated airline response to the unprecedented closure of Middle East airspace. Corporate travel buyers should note that the waiver applies only to tickets issued on or before 1 March 2026; newly-purchased fares will fall under normal conditions.
Travel-management companies are advising clients to process changes quickly because alternative routings via Singapore, Seoul and Dubai–Abu Dhabi land transfers are selling out. Employers should also remind travelling staff to update their traveller profiles so duty-of-care tracking reflects any itinerary changes.
While Qantas has no aircraft or crew stranded in the Gulf, the airline says it is monitoring the security situation and will extend the policy if airspace restrictions persist beyond 5 March.
To facilitate the waiver, travel agents must enter authority code 460895 in the endorsement box when re-issuing tickets. Qantas says additional fare/tax collection is not required as long as the new itinerary remains in the same cabin. The airline has also relaxed booking-class restrictions, allowing the lowest available inventory in the cabin if the original class is unavailable.
For travellers scrambling to reroute, visa and transit requirements can shift just as quickly as flight schedules. VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) lets passengers and their travel managers verify entry rules for new transit points, submit online applications and track approvals in real time, ensuring documentation keeps pace with any last-minute itinerary changes.
The policy mirrors concessions announced by alliance partners Emirates and Qatar Airways, underscoring the coordinated airline response to the unprecedented closure of Middle East airspace. Corporate travel buyers should note that the waiver applies only to tickets issued on or before 1 March 2026; newly-purchased fares will fall under normal conditions.
Travel-management companies are advising clients to process changes quickly because alternative routings via Singapore, Seoul and Dubai–Abu Dhabi land transfers are selling out. Employers should also remind travelling staff to update their traveller profiles so duty-of-care tracking reflects any itinerary changes.
While Qantas has no aircraft or crew stranded in the Gulf, the airline says it is monitoring the security situation and will extend the policy if airspace restrictions persist beyond 5 March.
