Qatar Airways, Emirates suspend flight operations amid US, Iran attacks

Qatar Airways and Emirates have temporarily suspended operations due to airspace closures in the Middle East due to the closure of their airspaces.

The disruptions come after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, what US President Donald Trump described as a “major combat operation”, forcing airlines to reroute services that would normally cross the region.

Qatar Airways Group confirmed that flight operations to Doha remained temporarily suspended until midnight UTC Saturday evening.

The airline said it will continue to work closely with government stakeholders and relevant authorities to restore normal operations as soon as the airspace reopens.

Also, Dubai-based carrier Emirates has also temporarily suspended flights to and from Dubai due to multiple regional airspace closures, the airline announced on Saturday.

Emirates said it was actively monitoring developments and engaging with relevant authorities. The airline urged customers to check its travel updates and flight status pages before heading to the airport.

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With missiles launched from Israel towards Iran and retaliatory strikes from Iran, carriers have been steering clear of the affected airspace, prompting countries including Iran and Iraq to close their airspace.

The move forced airlines to reroute or cancel numerous services, with Emirates among the carriers affected. Several flights between India, the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and North America also faced severe interruptions following the escalated conflict.

Qatar Airways in a statement noted that once operations resume, passengers should expect delays, and are advised to check the latest flight information on qatarairways.com or via the Qatar Airways app.

At Hamad International Airport, affected passengers are currently being assisted by additional ground staff deployed to manage the situation.

Qatar Airways said it is providing all necessary arrangements ensuring that every effort is made to minimise inconvenience during this disruption.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.