Qatar Airways is operating approximately 51 departing passenger flights from Doha today, a threefold increase from the roughly 15 daily departures the airline managed in the immediate aftermath of the Gulf airspace closures that began on 28 February 2026. The gradual ramp up signals a cautious but deliberate return to operations for one of the world’s most connected long-haul carriers, although a full resumption of scheduled services remains dependent on the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirming the safe reopening of Qatari airspace.
The airline has published a revised schedule extending through 15 April 2026, with additional frequencies planned to more than 90 destinations across its global network. All flights to and from Hamad International Airport continue to operate through dedicated safe corridors established in close coordination with the civil aviation authority. Passengers holding confirmed bookings on newly scheduled services are being contacted directly, and the airline has urged travellers not to arrive at departure airports without a valid confirmed ticket.
A Region Still in Recovery Mode
Qatar Airways has been the most severely affected carrier in the ongoing Middle East aviation crisis. At its lowest point, the airline was operating at roughly 20 per cent of its pre conflict capacity, far behind regional peers Emirates and Etihad, which have recovered to approximately 75 per cent and 50 per cent respectively. The airline confirmed it had sent around 20 aircraft, including A330, A350 and A380 widebodies, to storage in Teruel, Spain, a move reminiscent of the mass groundings seen during the COVID 19 pandemic.
The wider impact extends well beyond the Gulf. Several major international carriers, including British Airways, Lufthansa Group airlines, and Air France KLM, have suspended or significantly reduced services to the region. British Airways has extended suspensions to Amman, Bahrain, Dubai and Tel Aviv through 31 May, while Lufthansa Group services to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut and several other cities are not expected to resume until October. Major Asian carriers, including Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, have also cancelled or reduced services across the Middle East.
Implications for Asia Pacific Connectivity
For travellers and airlines across the Asia Pacific, the disruption has reshaped intercontinental routing. Much of the long-haul traffic that previously transited Gulf hubs have been rerouted via Central Asia, the Caspian region, or southward through Egypt and the Red Sea corridor. Flight times on key Europe to Asia sectors have lengthened by two hours or more in some cases, increasing fuel burn and crew costs. Airports in Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, which rely partly on connectivity through Gulf hubs, face reduced network flexibility as the disruption continues.
Industry analysts have noted that carriers with established nonstop services between Asia and Europe, particularly Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, stand to gain incremental traffic from displaced passengers. However, fleet availability and airport slot constraints limit how quickly any airline can add capacity to capture that demand.
Qatar Airways has extended its flexible rebooking and refund policy for passengers with confirmed bookings between 28 February and 15 June 2026, offering complimentary date changes to travel dates up to 31 October 2026 or full refunds of unused ticket values. The airline has stated it will resume normal operations once airspace conditions permit, but no firm timeline has been provided.
