Travel chaos as airlines retreat from Gulf, planes turned around mid-flight

The Age

4 hours ago

Global airlines felt the brunt of the escalating conflict in the Middle East, as missile exchanges forced carriers to navigate around a wide swath of territory, tear up flight schedules and turn around aircraft mid-flight.
Qatar suspended flights over its airspace shortly before Iran launched a missile strike at a US air base in the country around 7.45pm on Monday local time (2.45am Tuesday AEST). Qatar's move effectively halted operations of its namesake airline and forced dozens of flights from carriers including Etihad, Emirates and FlyDubai out of position.
The disruptions are the most consequential yet for air traffic in the region. Qatar Airways runs a global operation out of its Doha hub, connecting more than 170 destinations around the world. Turkish Airlines suspended service to Gulf destinations including Dubai, home to one of the world's busiest airports, while other airlines, including Singapore Airlines and British Airways cancelled flights.
The latest developments signify a widening of the war between Israel and Iran after US President Donald Trump joined the fight on Sunday by attacking Iran's nuclear sites. The dramatic escalation, and Iran's retaliation, risk disrupting economies that had previously been shielded from the fallout of regional hostilities.
Qatar and nearby Dubai have spent decades turning themselves into global aviation powerhouses, meaning that any narrowing or outright closure of air service creates a serious knock-on effect for the travel industry. Doha and Dubai are only a short distance from Iran, sitting on the other side of Persian Gulf and not far from the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping artery for the world's oil supplies that has become a flashpoint in the growing conflict.
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Dubai is home to Emirates, the world's largest international carrier. Hamad International Airport in Doha, in the capital of Qatar, is among the 10 largest, operating more than 500 flights a day. Together, they handle much of the traffic within the Middle East and are transfer points for long-haul travel between Asia, Europe and North America. They had avoided previous suspensions that were contained to countries surrounding Israel and the skies over nations where Iran's missiles pass.
Prior to the US strikes on Sunday, Tehran had threatened to hit US bases in the Persian Gulf should Washington get involved, and close down Hormuz. The Al Udeid base in Qatar hosts the regional headquarters for the US Central Command, which oversees the American military in the Middle East.
It's the largest US base in the region, while Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.