DOHA / ABU DHABI — Qatar Airways officially announced the extension of its temporary flight suspension on Friday, March 6, 2026, citing the ongoing closure of Qatari airspace. The decision follows a week of severe regional instability that has crippled aviation hubs across the Middle East. The airline confirmed that operations will only resume once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority provides a safety clearance for the reopening of the skies.
While Doha remains largely shuttered, Etihad Airways has begun a phased resumption of limited commercial flights from Abu Dhabi. The UAE-based carrier will operate select routes to major global hubs until March 19 to assist stranded travellers. These services will connect Abu Dhabi with several international cities, including London, Paris, New York (JFK), Toronto, and major Indian metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Etihad has strictly advised passengers to head to the airport only if they have received a direct confirmation or hold a booking for these specific emergency flights.
The aviation crisis has hit the Indian subcontinent particularly hard. The Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed that 281 flights scheduled by Indian domestic carriers for Thursday alone were cancelled. “We are closely monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia to ensure the safety of Indian passengers and crew,” a ministry spokesperson stated. The disruptions have left thousands of expatriates and business travellers stranded as airlines scramble to re-route flights away from the conflict zone.
The current chaos is the direct result of a dramatic escalation in the West Asia conflict, which entered its seventh day following a joint US-Israel military strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Tehran has launched extensive drone and missile attacks across multiple Arab nations, leading to the preemptive closure of various national airspaces. As the geopolitical situation remains fluid, international carriers continue to adjust their schedules daily to prioritize passenger safety and security.
