The ongoing conflict in West Asia has forced Qatar Airways to keep its flight operations temporarily suspended as the closure of Qatari airspace continues, worsening travel disruptions across the region and beyond.
The Doha-based carrier said in its latest service advisory that all scheduled flights to and from Hamad International Airport remain on hold until the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority gives clearance for safe airspace reopening. The airline has not set a firm timeline for resuming services, but it plans to issue another update in the coming days.
The suspension covers all inbound and outbound routes, affecting thousands of passengers worldwide. Qatar Airways is offering flexible travel options, including fee-free date changes within 14 days of the original booking and full refunds for unused tickets booked between late February and early March. Passengers are being urged to monitor flight status via the airline’s official website or mobile app.
The disruption comes as airspace over much of the Middle East has been closed or restricted due to an intense escalation in regional hostilities involving Iran, Israel and allied forces, prompting safety-first decisions by aviation authorities. Doha’s airspace, usually one of the world’s busiest transit hubs linking Europe, Asia and Africa, remains unusually quiet, a clear sign of how quickly conflict can halt global travel corridors.
The broader impact on air travel has been severe. Over 11,000 flights are reported to have been cancelled across the Middle East since the conflict intensified, stranding about 1.5 million passengers and causing knock-on effects for airlines and airports well beyond the region.
Other major airlines have also been forced to scale back or pause operations. Emirates and Etihad Airways temporarily halted services from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while carriers including Air India and IndiGo issued travel advisories and altered routes to avoid restricted airspace.
The situation has created particular challenges for travellers in South Asia. At least 10 international flights were cancelled at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, as several carriers including Qatar Airways suspended links with West Asian hubs.
Industry experts say that restoring global air travel may take time even after the airspace reopens, due to the scale of cancellations, rescheduling and rerouting required. But for now, passengers continue to face uncertainty and disruption, with safety concerns dominating airline decisions.
