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Qatar Airways faces operational chaos amid Middle East airspace closures

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Qatar Airways faces operational chaos amid Middle East airspace closures
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The geopolitical situation in the Middle East has recently created significant challenges for airlines operating in the region, with sudden airspace closures affecting flight schedules. Qatar Airways has been notably impacted, experiencing disruptions at its Doha Hamad International Airport hub.

Yesterday evening, an unexpected airspace closure forced Qatar Airways to temporarily halt operations. Flights en route to Doha had to divert, leading to a backlog of disruption at the airline's hub. Although the suspension lasted only a few hours, it caused significant delays and cancellations.

A passenger affected by the chaos shared their experience with Simple Flying. The individual was traveling in business class and described long queues at Qatar Airways' transfer desks at Doha Hamad International Airport. They noted that some passengers had been waiting for up to eight hours, while they themselves waited from 02:00 to 04:30.

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The passenger reported minimal communication from Qatar Airways during this period. "Qatar Airways has given basically no communication and has offered us nothing," they stated. After their flight was canceled without prior notice, they were left on a bus for 30 minutes before being returned to the terminal.

The passenger criticized Qatar Airways' handling of the situation as "a masterclass in how not to do IROPS [Irregular Operations]." They highlighted that there was no proactive rebooking or self-service options available through apps.

Earlier reports indicated that Qatar's airspace closure followed warnings from UK and US governments advising citizens in Qatar to shelter due to potential Iranian military responses after American air strikes on Iran. In response, Qatar Airways confirmed it was working with government stakeholders and authorities to support passengers and anticipated significant delays once operations resumed.

Despite efforts by the airline, more than 100 flights were delayed or canceled at Doha Hamad International yesterday according to FlightAware data.

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