Travelling Through Uncertainty: Our European Cruise Amid the US–Israel–Iran Conflict

When our friend Jenny proposed a River Danube cruise together late last year, we did not hesitate. We immediately went ahead with the cruise booking, purchased our air tickets, and arranged our accommodations. The cruise was scheduled to begin in Passau, Germany, and conclude in Budapest, Hungary.

The flight itinerary we booked late last year would take us from our home in KK to KL, then onward to Munich via a transit stop in Doha. To make the most of our holiday, we decided to return by a different route after the cruise. We planned to fly with Air China from Budapest to Beijing, spend a few days exploring the Chinese capital, and then continue our journey back to KL and KK.

Then came February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, triggering a conflict in the Middle East. Air travel in the region immediately became uncertain, and we were informed that our flight from KL to Munich via Doha could not be confirmed because of the deteriorating security situation.

From March onward, it was an anxious period as we waited to learn whether our journey to Munich would proceed as planned. The situation was further complicated because our itinerary involved a Malaysia Airlines code-share arrangement: a Malaysia Airlines flight from KL to Doha, followed by a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Munich. Malaysia Airlines was unable to confirm whether its Doha services would continue operating.

It was only in the first week of April that some good news finally arrived. Malaysia Airlines announced the cancellation of all its Doha flights. As a result, our itinerary was revised, and we were rebooked entirely on Qatar Airways services from KL to Munich, with a transit stop in Doha.

With our travel plans finally secured, we were able to look forward to the holiday with confidence. On 5 May 2026, we landed at Munich Airport shortly after 2.30 p.m., where we were warmly welcomed by Jenny and Patrick, who had arrived earlier from Edinburgh. They had earlier spent three weeks there with their son's family and the in-laws.

Transit at Doha.

From the airport, we made our way to our Airbnb accommodation using public transport - an experience we found surprisingly manageable. However, another ordeal soon followed when we tried to locate the property. To our dismay, the actual location was different from the one advertised on the booking platform.

When we eventually arrived at the Airbnb, we were met with yet another shock. The condition of the accommodation was not merely disappointing - it was by far the worst we had ever encountered. We found the facilities completely uninhabitable and informed the caretakers that we would be moving out the following day, despite having booked a four-night stay. This unpleasant experience deserves a separate account and will be shared in another post.

Determined not to let this setback spoil our holiday, we immediately searched for alternative accommodation and secured a new place. Early the next morning, we checked out and moved into our new lodgings, ready to put the episode behind us and continue enjoying our European adventure.