Good news for Europe-bound Aussies as major travel insurance block is finally lifted

Europe-bound Aussies can finally stop taking a massive financial gamble just to catch a connecting flight.

Following an intense travel industry campaign, the Australian Government has downgraded its hardline travel advice for major Middle Eastern and Gulf stopover hubs, lifting an insurance blockade that had left thousands of transiting passengers completely unprotected.

Smartraveller advice for Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (including Dubai and Abu Dhabi), Bahrain, Kuwait and Israel is now set to "reconsider your need for travel", downgraded from "do not travel" - though some areas within Israel remain "do not travel".

While nations like the UK and France had already updated their advice to allow routine transits through major hubs like Dubai and Doha, Australia was lagging.

This meant thousands of Australians transited through the Middle East uninsured since the war in Iran halted flights in February.

Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) CEO, Dean Long, says downgrading the travel advice is a "sensible and welcome adjustment" and will allow Australians to once again obtain travel insurance for their trips.

"For many Australians, these hubs are the connecting points that get them to the UK, Europe, India and Africa," Long says.

ATIA had lobbied the government to downgrade its travel advice for Middle Eastern transit.

"In seeking a travel advisory level commensurate with the reality of travel as a transiting passenger, ATIA was looking to ensure transiting passengers had all the benefits of travel insurance while on the ground," Long says.

"Additionally, with 150,000 Australians having safely travelled through those hubs, we wanted to ensure consumer confidence in Smartraveller's advice remains optimum - travellers were telling our members that the 'do not travel' advice for passing through just didn't seem to hit the right balance."

He says the government's decision "strikes the right balance between the security advice and ensuring travellers can have sufficient and comprehensive insurance protection as they travel through".

Announcing the travel advisory changes, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says: "Australia welcomes the agreement between the United States and Iran and continues to encourage all parties to pursue a durable and lasting peace through dialogue and diplomacy."

But she says while the government prioritises the safety and security of Australians, the security situation across the Middle East "could deteriorate rapidly with little warning".

"Level 3 [reconsider your need to travel] remains a high threshold. We continue to urge Australians to postpone non-essential travel," she says.

"Reconsider your need to travel' also means 'reconsider your need to transit'. If you need to transit these locations, stay as short a time as possible and eliminate unnecessary activities."

ATIA's Long says this still isn't the time for Australians to leave Middle Eastern airports.

"We are absolutely not telling people to holiday in Dubai or Doha," Long says.

As for how long it will be until Aussies can build that hot stopover back into their itinerary, Long says it all depends on the war.

"Honestly, it is anyone's guess and I would not want to put a number on it. The broader region remains complex and no one should pretend otherwise," Long says.

TravelInsurance.com.au CEO, Shaun McGowan, says a level 3 advisory is "not a clean bill of health".

"Australians transiting through Doha and Dubai are now in a position where travel insurance cover can apply again, provided they purchase their policy now with current conditions in mind and declare all transit countries on their policy."

He confirms Australians can now fly to Europe via Qatar and the UAE insured. But travellers should check their policy terms carefully, as "reconsider your need to travel" still means elevated risk.

"It is also worth noting that Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen remain at 'do not travel,' so the broader regional picture hasn't been resolved, just improved at the key transit points," McGowan says.

Anyone who cancelled their travel under the "do not travel" advice should speak to their insurer directly. McGowan says many policies include cancellation cover triggered when DFAT upgrades a region to "do not travel" after the policy was issues, but coverage varies.

McGowan also warns that the advice could "change again", so travellers should keep an eye on Smartraveller advisories.

This article was originally published on Explore on June 15 with the headline, "Australia branded a 'total outlier' over hardline Middle East travel advice", and was updated on June 17.