Evacuation and cargo flights will resume, but scheduled services are still suspended as the US-Israel war against Iran continues.
Qatar has partially reopened its airspace days after Iranian missile and drone attacks forced the country to suspend all flights as the US and Israeli military campaign against Iran continues into its seventh day.
The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announced the limited opening on Friday night, saying flights would operate via “designated navigation contingency routes with limited operational capability” in coordination with Qatar’s armed forces.
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The move marks a cautious first step towards re-establishing air links with one of the Gulf’s most important aviation hubs, but is a long way from a return to normality, as scheduled commercial flights to and from Doha remain suspended until a further official announcement is made.
The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority said the partial reopening covers only a reduced category of flights “designated for the evacuation of passengers” and air cargo services.
Passengers with confirmed reservations were urged to follow updates from their airlines directly before traveling to the airport.
Early on Saturday, Qatar Airways said it “intends to operate repatriation flights on March 7, departing from Hamad International Airport to the following airports: London (LHR), Paris (CDG), Madrid (MAD), Rome (FCO), Frankfurt (FRA).”
It added that priority would be given to “stranded passengers with families, elderly passengers and those with urgent medical and compassionate travel needs.”
Qatar initially closed its airspace on February 28, citing “precautionary measures” taken in response to “the latest developments in the region” and the need to ensure “the highest levels of safety for all flights.”
The Gulf country has been repeatedly attacked by Iranian missiles and drones during the seven-day conflict, forcing the country to activate its air force and use interceptors to defend its territory. Qatar’s Defense Ministry confirmed that the country had been hit by 14 ballistic missiles and four drones fired from Iran on Thursday.
More than 2,000 flights have been canceled at Doha’s Hamad International Airport since the conflict began.
Aviation through the Gulf
Across the Gulf, airports and airlines have been struggling to manage the fallout from nearly a week of Iranian missile and drone bombings, launched in retaliation for the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign – codenamed Operation Epic Fury – that has killed at least 1,332 people in Iran since the strikes began last Saturday, according to Iranian officials.
Emirates airline announced it is operating on a reduced schedule as it works to restore full network operations, transporting approximately 30,000 passengers out of Dubai on Friday alone.
By Saturday, the airline said it would have 106 daily return flights operating to 83 destinations, about 60 percent of its full network, with a 100 percent return expected “in the coming days, subject to airspace availability.”
Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international passengers, was evacuated on Sunday following the Iranian attacks and has recorded nearly 4,000 flight cancellations since Monday.
Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport has suffered more than 1,000 cancellations and continues to operate at limited capacity.
Kuwait, also affected by the Iranian attacks, saw its airport suffer sustained physical damage from drone attacks, leaving some workers with minor injuries, and its airspace remains completely closed to commercial traffic.
Kuwait Airways has begun diverting pre-booked citizens via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
It is estimated that 23,000 flights have been canceled since the end of February, according to the analysis firm Cirium.
