Qatar Airways has resumed some flights with a limited number of flights as the ongoing Iran war continues to have a detrimental effect on air travel across the Middle East, forcing airlines to scale back flights and alter routes.
Following the partial reopening of the Qatari airspace under strict restrictions, the airline is now operating a reduced schedule from its hub at Hamad International Airport in Doha. However, capacity is much lower than normal with the airline operating at virtually 20% of normal.
Despite these challenges, Qatar Airways is still keeping its head connected to several key destinations in different regions. In Africa, flights are also running to places like Accra, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Lagos. In the Americas, services are still major hubs such as New York, Washington DC, Miami, Sao Paulo, Toronto.
The airline has also confirmed that it is re-establishing Doha to over 70 destinations worldwide under this temporary schedule, including parts of Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.
However, all routes are not active. Qatar Airways has cancelled flights to a number of destinations in Asia and Europe because of ongoing security issues and airspace restrictions. At least a dozen routes have been suspended for a period of time because of the broader impact of the regional conflict on global aviation.
In addition to regular passenger services, the airline has organised special point-to-point flights between selected cities bypassing Doha. These flights are primarily for the purpose of aiding stranded passengers and may not be booked.
The disruption comes as the Iran war continues to impact major air travel hubs across the Gulf, including widespread cancellations, rerouting and delays across international airlines. Experts are warning that recovery is likely to be gradual with the concerns over airspace safety and geopolitical instability still present.
Qatar Airways has advised passengers to be updated on the situation via official channels as schedules can be changed rapidly based on the changing security situation.
