Qatar airspace closure causes flight chaos for Aussies

• Australian travellers have been told to closely monitor their flight schedules following the temporary closure of Qatar’s airspace.
• Virgin Australia and Qantas were among the airlines forced to divert flights due to the disruption.
• The airspace has reopened; however significant delays are expected.

Australian travellers have been advised to actively monitor their flight schedules after Qantas and Virgin Australia flights were diverted due to the closure of Qatar’s airspace.

Qatar’s airspace was closed after Iran launched missiles targeting a U.S. military base in the country. The closure occurred at 2:45 am (AEST), shortly before the strikes, meaning flights from dozens of airlines, including Qantas, Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways, were diverted.

The airspace has now been reopened; however, delays and disruptions are expected to continue as a knock-on effect of the closure.

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Two Qantas flights diverted

Two Qantas flights were diverted mid-flight: QF33, en route from Perth to Paris, was turned back to Perth, while QF9, travelling from Perth to London, was rerouted to Singapore.

The 199 passengers and 14 crew members aboard QF9 have been provided with overnight accommodation in Singapore while the airline arranges alternative bookings.

QF33, which was carrying 14 crew members and 216 passengers, will stay overnight in Perth before travelling on to Paris.

Since the flights have not reached their destinations in time, other disruptions have occurred, with two flights heading back to Perth being cancelled and rescheduled: QF10, travelling from London, and QF34, travelling from Paris.

A spokesperson thanked passengers for their “patience and understanding”, stating:

“We continue to monitor airspace availability closely and will alter our schedule as required”

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Two Virgin Australia flights were affected

In addition to the Qantas flight diversions, two Virgin Australia flights, which were operated by Qatar Airlines, were also diverted on their way to Doha.

VA1, travelling from Sydney to Doha, diverted to Bengaluru, and VA15, travelling from Brisbane to Doha, diverted to Muscat.

A Virgin Australia spokesperson said,

“VA1 (Sydney–Doha) diverted to Bengaluru and VA15 (Brisbane–Doha) diverted to Muscat. Both aircraft landed safely.

“Guest recovery is being co-ordinated by Qatar Airways, including support on the ground and assistance with onward travel arrangements.

“The safety and well-being of our people and customers is our number one priority.

Guests scheduled to travel on Virgin Australia services between Australia and Doha in the coming days are advised to closely monitor their flight information.”

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Qatar Airways working to “restore operations as quickly as possible”

Following a temporary suspension of all flights, Qatar Airways has announced it will resume operations after the reopening of the country’s airspace. The airline has warned travellers to expect significant delays, releasing this statement:

“Our focus at this time is to help our passengers return home or reach their onward journey safely and smoothly,” the statement read.

“We are working tirelessly with government stakeholders and the relevant authorities to restore operations as quickly as possible.

“We have also deployed additional ground staff at Hamad International Airport and other key airports to assist affected passengers by minimising disruptions and offering the utmost care and support to all customers.

“As operations resume, we anticipate significant delays to our flight schedule. We would advise passengers to check qatarairways.com or the Qatar Airways mobile application ahead of travel.”

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Flights headed to Dubai and UAE also impacted

The grounding of Qatar Airways flights forced dozens of airlines out of position. Flights in and out of Dubai International Airport were temporarily suspended, and the United Arab Emirates closed its airspace as a precautionary measure.

Emirates, which operates 77 flights between Australia and Dubai weekly, rerouted several flights en route to Dubai yesterday; however, there were no diversions. The airport has since resumed operations.

Other flights bound for the region on several commercial airlines were diverted to safer airports, with Turkish Airlines suspending services to Gulf destinations, and Singapore Airlines and British Airways cancelling flights.

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Will my travel plans be affected?

If you’re travelling to Europe through the Middle East in the coming days, the airline you fly with and the route that your flight is taking may impact your travels.

Passengers flying to Europe via Central Asia or Singapore, for example, would avoid the affected airspace. Passengers flying through the Middle East, with airlines such as Qatar, Emirates and Etihad, are more likely to be impacted.

The best thing to do is to closely monitor your flight schedule and keep an eye out for any changes, as the airlines advise.

Just after 8 am AEST, on his platform Truth Social, US President Donald Trump claimed a ceasefire had been reached between Israel and Iran.

He wrote:

“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!”

However, Iran’s foreign minister has said there would be no end to hostilities unless Israel stop their attacks.