Quick summary
Qatar Airways has suspended most operations through March 28, 2026 due to Qatari airspace closure, cancelling 261 flights and stranding up to 8,000 passengers across Doha, Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Tehran, Istanbul, Kuwait, and Beirut. A limited schedule to approximately 80 destinations resumes March 18, prioritizing key routes to Bangkok, Delhi, London, and Jeddah, but excludes many UAE, Iran, and Saudi points.
Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa Group, Air Canada, British Airways, and multiple Asian carriers have cancelled Middle East services through late March. Travelers with bookings via Doha face multi-day delays or full rerouting — the Qatar government is covering hotel costs and visa extensions, but seats on operating flights remain scarce.
Qatar Airways operations collapsed on March 17, 2026, leaving thousands stranded across eight Middle Eastern cities as Qatari airspace closure forced the airline to cancel 261 flights and delay 14 others. The disruption affects travelers with bookings through Doha’s Hamad International Airport and connections across the region’s busiest hubs.
Passengers currently holding tickets for travel between March 18 and March 28 face cancellations on most routes. The airline will operate a skeleton schedule to roughly 80 destinations during this window, with priority given to Bangkok, Delhi, London Heathrow, Jeddh, and Riyadh — but many secondary Middle East points remain unreachable.
The ripple effect extends beyond Qatar Airways. Turkish Airlines cancelled all flights to Bahrain, Dammam, Riyadh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, and the UAE. Lufthansa Group suspended Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, and Erbil services through March 28. Air Canada dropped Dubai and Tel Aviv through March 23.
Which routes are operating and which are cancelled
On March 17, select Doha departures operated to Bangkok, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Kochi, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jeddah, Kathmandu, London Heathrow, Manila, Mumbai, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Riyadh, and Nairobi. The March 18 schedule adds Dallas/Fort Worth, Perth, and a handful of other long-haul points, but the full list excludes many UAE, Iran, and Saudi Arabian cities that normally see multiple daily frequencies.
Passengers with NDC bookings can request free changes via Amadeus, Travelport, or Verteil platforms, or by contacting the Qatar Airways B2B Contact Centre. Refunds are available through the Trade Portal Self-Service Form. The airline advises travelers not to arrive at airports without confirmed tickets — a warning that reflects the scarcity of available seats on operating flights.
| Metric | Figure | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Flights cancelled | 261 | Most DOH connections suspended |
| Flights delayed | 14 | Limited schedule disruptions |
| Passengers stranded | Up to 8,000 | Government hotels/visa extensions |
| Operating destinations | ~80 | Priority: BKK, DEL, LHR, JED, RUH |
| Disruption window | March 18–28 | Full resumption date unclear |
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How the disruption affects travelers by region
The airspace closure creates different problems depending on where your trip originates. North American travelers lose Doha connections from Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and New York to Asia-Pacific destinations like Bangkok and Singapore. Air Canada suspended Dubai and Tel Aviv services through March 23, cutting another major Middle East option. The workaround: reroute via Turkish Airlines from Chicago O’Hare to Istanbul to Bangkok, though Turkish’s own cancellations to Bahrain, Dammam, Riyadh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, and the UAE limit onward options.
European travelers face similar disruption on London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Frankfurt routes to Asia via Doha. British Airways cancelled Amman, Bahrain, Dubai, and Tel Aviv through May 31 — a longer suspension than most carriers. Lufthansa Group dropped Dubai and Abu Dhabi through March 28. The alternative: book KLM from Amsterdam direct to Abu Dhabi, bypassing the Doha hub entirely.
Australian travelers lose Perth and Melbourne connections to Asia via Doha. Oman Air cancelled Doha services through March 31, eliminating another Gulf option. The workaround: use Garuda Indonesia from Jakarta to Doha, but only if you can connect through Singapore on Qatar Airways’ limited operating schedule. Within Asia, Bangkok, Delhi, and Manila connections to the Middle East are cancelled. IndiGo suspended Doha and Kuwait through March 28. Philippine Airlines dropped Manila to Riyadh, Dubai, and Doha. Shift to Singapore Airlines‘ Singapore hub for onward Middle East connections.
What to do if your trip is affected
The Qatar government is covering hotel costs and visa extensions for stranded passengers, but seats on operating flights remain scarce — acting within 24 hours improves your chances of securing a workable rebooking.
- Check your flight status immediately at qatarairways.com/travel-alerts or via your booking platform. Do not assume your flight is operating even if it appears on the March 18–28 schedule — the list prioritizes key routes and excludes many secondary points.
- Request free rebooking or refund via the Qatar Airways Trade Portal Self-Service Form (for NDC bookings) or by calling +974 4023 0000. You can change travel dates twice without penalty through April 30.
- Avoid arriving at airports without confirmed tickets — Qatar Airways has issued this warning explicitly, reflecting the limited availability of seats on operating flights.
- Consider alternative hubs if your original routing via Doha is cancelled. Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul hub, Singapore Airlines’ Singapore hub, and direct European carriers like KLM offer workarounds, though Turkish’s own Middle East cancellations limit some onward connections.
- Monitor for resumption updates at qatarairways.com/press-releases. The airline has not confirmed when full operations will resume beyond March 28.
Questions? Answers.
Can I get a refund if my Qatar Airways flight is cancelled?
Yes. Passengers with cancelled flights can request full refunds via the Qatar Airways Trade Portal Self-Service Form (for NDC bookings) or by contacting the airline directly at +974 4023 0000. The airline is offering free changes and refunds for all affected bookings between March 18 and March 28.
Which Qatar Airways routes are still operating during the disruption?
A limited schedule to approximately 80 destinations operates between March 18 and March 28, prioritizing Bangkok, Delhi, London Heathrow, Jeddah, Riyadh, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Istanbul, Mumbai, Manila, and Nairobi. Many UAE, Iran, and Saudi Arabian cities that normally see multiple daily frequencies remain suspended. Check qatarairways.com/travel-alerts for the current operating schedule.
What should I do if I’m stranded in Doha or another Middle East hub?
Contact Qatar Airways immediately at +974 4023 0000 or via qatarairways.com/travel-alerts to request rebooking on the next available flight. The Qatar government is covering hotel costs and visa extensions for stranded passengers. Do not go to the airport without a confirmed ticket reissue — the airline has warned that seats on operating flights are extremely limited.
Are other airlines affected by the Middle East airspace closure?
Yes. Turkish Airlines cancelled all flights to Bahrain, Dammam, Riyadh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, and the UAE. Lufthansa Group suspended Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, and Erbil through March 28. Air Canada dropped Dubai and Tel Aviv through March 23. British Airways cancelled Amman, Bahrain, Dubai, and Tel Aviv through May 31. Multiple Asian carriers including IndiGo, Philippine Airlines, and Oman Air have also suspended Middle East services.
