UAE, Qatar flight delays as airports...

Airlines say situation likely to cause ongoing disruption

Following cancellation of flights on Monday 23 June, Dubai Airports has fully resumed operations across all airports in the emirate.

This follows the temporary shutdown of Qatar airspace due to Iran’s thwarted missile strikes on the country’s US military bases in Al Udeid. More than 90 flights headed to Doha were diverted, according to AirNav Radar.

Bahrain and Kuwait also closed their airspace, but all three countries have since reopened them and Qatar Airways has reinstated flights.

On its website, Qatar Airways said that tickets booked on or before 23 June 23 for travel till 30 June include two complimentary reissues valid for travel up to 15 July. They have also issued full refunds for any affected flights.

However, passengers still face potential disruptions as Middle East airlines including Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways adjust routes to avoid restricted airspaces in the region.

Air tracking data from FlightAware showed 243 cancellations worldwide as of Tuesday morning, including 26 cancellations in and out of Dubai International (DXB), as of 9am GST.

Qatar’s airport authority said it was working with airlines to ensure flights operate according to schedule, but some flights “may experience delays or cancellations”. Additional ground staff were sent to Hamad International Airport to assist affected passengers.

Etihad Airways also issued a statement to say it was cancelling some regional flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Kuwait, Doha, Dammam and Muscat, plus re-routing others on 24 June, and that the current situation was likely to cause “some disruption and delay to a number of flights over the coming days”.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline has also suspended all flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv through 15 July.

Emirates is yet to cancel any flights but has temporarily suspended all flights to Iran and Iraq.

All three airlines urged customers to check the status of their flight on its website.

For more information, visit www.emirates.com, www.etihad.com, www.qatarairways.com

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