DOHA, QATAR – As Iranian drones and rockets continued to endanger Qatar’s airspace, Qatar Airways organized emergency flights via two substitute airports while its home hub remained closed.
Doha at a standstill, Dubai and Abu Dhabi still flying
The airport in Doha remained shut. Qatar accused Iran of carrying out targeted military strikes against the airport and civilian infrastructure, an allegation that brought operations to a standstill for an indefinite period.
While Doha was at a standstill, special flights took off from Dubai and Abu Dhabi under strict security measures. The two emirates were considered less exposed to Iranian attacks than the Qatari hub.
Qatar Airways launches emergency flights without Doha
Qatar Airways suspended its regular scheduled operations until at least Saturday. Nevertheless, the airline announced that it would begin limited relief flights for stranded passengers as early as Thursday.
These flights did not operate via Doha. Qatar Airways instead diverted to Muscat airport in Oman, from where connections departed to London-Heathrow, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, Rome and Amsterdam.
Riyadh becomes second detour to Frankfurt
In parallel, Qatar Airways planned a special flight from the Saudi capital Riyadh to Frankfurt. This allowed the airline to operate two separate diversion routes at the same time.
Both solutions required passengers to first leave Qatar and reach a connecting airport, a logistical hurdle that remained significant for many stranded travelers.
Unclear when Doha will reopen
Qatar Airways had not yet named a date for the resumption of regular operations in Doha. As long as Iran did not halt attacks on Qatari infrastructure, it remained unclear when the region’s most important hub would return to service.
Travelers to and from Thailand caught in the middle
Passengers who wanted to fly from Thailand to the Gulf region, or who had booked a connecting flight via Doha to Europe, now faced a closed hub. The shutdown directly affected travelers on the Bangkok–Doha–Europe route.
At the same time, tourists and expats who planned to enter Thailand via Doha struggled with cancelled connections and unclear rebooking options. The diversion routes through Muscat and Riyadh significantly extended travel times and often added extra costs.