Qatar Airways is scheduled to operate several repatriation flights from Doha to Europe on Saturday, but commercial flights remain suspended as the US and Israel’s war against Iran has forced the closure of Qatari airspace since last week.
The state-owned airline’s flights to London, Paris, Madrid, Rome and Frankfurt will be the first from its home base of Doha since the war escalated last week.
The closure of Qatari airspace continues to ground commercial flights and overall air traffic remains mostly grounded across much of the region, with major hubs in the Gulf, including Dubai Airport, the world’s busiest international airport, largely closed for the seventh day in a row, the biggest travel disruption since the coronavirus pandemic.
Canadian Airlines announced that it has extended flight cancellations between Toronto and Tel Aviv until May 2nd due to the war.
The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announced in a post on social media platform X early Saturday morning that it had confirmed the safe flight corridor.
Governments in the region began operating repatriation flights on Wednesday to expedite the return of tens of thousands of stranded citizens.
Industry experts say that even if a ceasefire is declared immediately, normal services will not return overnight. Airlines will still need time to secure permission to reposition aircraft, redeploy crews, restructure schedules and safely resume operations.
With airspace severely restricted, airlines are forced to reroute flights, load additional fuel, and make additional refueling stops to prevent sudden changes in course or longer flight paths through safer corridors.
Rising costs for airlines
As jet fuel prices soar, airlines have begun calculating the cost of conflict. The hit to earnings will largely depend on how long the war lasts, but Delta CEO Scott Kirby said higher fuel prices would have a “material” impact on the airline’s quarterly results.
If jet fuel prices remain at these high levels for the rest of the year, Delta Air Lines and the other three major U.S. airlines are looking at a combined $5.8 billion in additional fuel costs, according to Reuters calculations. These airlines, unlike their European rivals, do not hedge against rising jet fuel prices.
In a dramatic escalation, US President Donald Trump on Friday called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” in remarks that could disrupt global energy and goods supplies and complicate a quick path to an end to the conflict that has spooked financial markets.
President Trump made the remarks on social media just hours after Iran’s president announced that an unspecified country had begun mediation efforts.
