Travel chaos as airlines retreat from Gulf, planes turned around mid-flight
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.
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The Age
21 minutes ago
- The Age
Trump is already casting Iran's retaliation as a sign of peace. It offers both sides an ‘off ramp'
Iran's missile attack on a US air base in Qatar was telegraphed well in advance, suggesting Tehran intended a symbolic show of force while offering a way to de-escalate after US airstrikes over the weekend. In a social media post on Monday afternoon, US President Donald Trump called the strike a 'very weak response' and thanked Iran 'for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured.' 'Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same' Trump said. 'IT'S TIME FOR PEACE,' he added in a subsequent post. Oil prices slumped in the wake of Iran's attack on the US base, with West Texas Intermediate plummeting by more than 6 per cent to trade below $70 a barrel. That reflected investor sentiment that the Iranian strikes were less severe than feared and supplies from the Middle East won't be disrupted. The assault, which involved short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, early on Tuesday AEST targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which officials said had been largely evacuated. Loading Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs dropped by the US on the Islamic Republic days before and the strike 'poses no danger' to Qatar, which it called 'our friendly and brotherly country'. One official with knowledge of Western intelligence assessments said the attack was a typical example of an 'off-ramp' escalation and warned it was more difficult to understand whether – and at what point – Israel would stop its own military activities in the region. There was no immediate response from Israel to Trump's posts late Monday. 'It feels choreographed and intentional,' said Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy national intelligence officer for the Near East. 'The Iranians get to tell their population they struck a mighty blow against the US, even if they didn't, and Trump has the room now to decide not to retaliate.'
Sydney Morning Herald
21 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump is already casting Iran's retaliation as a sign of peace. It offers both sides an ‘off ramp'
Iran's missile attack on a US air base in Qatar was telegraphed well in advance, suggesting Tehran intended a symbolic show of force while offering a way to de-escalate after US airstrikes over the weekend. In a social media post on Monday afternoon, US President Donald Trump called the strike a 'very weak response' and thanked Iran 'for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured.' 'Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same' Trump said. 'IT'S TIME FOR PEACE,' he added in a subsequent post. Oil prices slumped in the wake of Iran's attack on the US base, with West Texas Intermediate plummeting by more than 6 per cent to trade below $70 a barrel. That reflected investor sentiment that the Iranian strikes were less severe than feared and supplies from the Middle East won't be disrupted. The assault, which involved short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, early on Tuesday AEST targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which officials said had been largely evacuated. Loading Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs dropped by the US on the Islamic Republic days before and the strike 'poses no danger' to Qatar, which it called 'our friendly and brotherly country'. One official with knowledge of Western intelligence assessments said the attack was a typical example of an 'off-ramp' escalation and warned it was more difficult to understand whether – and at what point – Israel would stop its own military activities in the region. There was no immediate response from Israel to Trump's posts late Monday. 'It feels choreographed and intentional,' said Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy national intelligence officer for the Near East. 'The Iranians get to tell their population they struck a mighty blow against the US, even if they didn't, and Trump has the room now to decide not to retaliate.'
West Australian
25 minutes ago
- West Australian
Australia news and politics live: Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemns Iran's missile attack on US base
Scroll down for the latest news and updates. In an exclusive interview with The Nightly, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said its military campaign against Iran would continue, despite US President Donald Trump claiming the US military had 'totally obliterated' Iran's ability to make a nuclear bomb. 'We still need to eliminate quite a few of the capabilities of Iran to make sure that it doesn't pose an existential threat to Israel,' she said. She said this included Iran's ballistic missile program, not just the sites where it is believed to be enriching uranium. 'Just in recent months, they have been building up their capability to the production of 3000 missiles a year,' she said. 'And missiles that can actually reach Europe as well — this is an existential threat, not just in Israel but in the entire world.' Read the full story here. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has issued a statement following Iran's strikes on US bases in Qatar. 'Australia condemns Iran's strikes on US bases in Qatar and Iraq,' she said. 'We do not want to see further escalation. A full-scale war in the Middle East would be devastating for the people of the region and the world. 'Australia continues to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.' Senator Wong warned that closure of airspace around transit hubs could impact flights globally, causing delays and cancellations. 'Australians travelling should seek updates from their airlines and follow @Smarttraveller.' Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Australian Government's 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre 1300 555 135 (within Australia) and +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas). Opposition leader Sussan Ley said the Coalition condemned 'in the strongest possible terms' the Iranian regime's direct missile attack on a US base in Qatar. Ms Ley noted that US President Donald Trump said the US was provided with prior notice to prevent loss of life and injury. Despite that, Ms Ley said this act was still a 'violation of Qatari sovereinty.' 'Australia must stand firmly with our allies and partners, including the United States, in the face of such aggression,' she added. 'The Coaliation reaffirms its support for the actions taken by the United States to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.' Ms Ley also urged for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to attend the upcoming NATO summit in The Netherlands this week following reports Mr Trump could be seeking meetings with IP4 nations. 'Now is the time for Australia to stand with the United States and Anthony Albanese should be taking every opportunity to do so.' Reacting to news overnight that Iran had retaliated by carrying out a missile attack on the Al-Udeid US air base in Qatar, frontbencher Mark Butler repeated the Government's call for a diplomatic solution to encourage peace in the Middle East. Mr Butler also revealed the Government was still trying to find ways to evacuate about 3000 Australians registered for assistance to depart Iran, and more than 1,000 in Israel. 'We've been trying to do all that we can, particularly in land crossings,' he told Nine's Today show on Tuesday. 'We had a flight we thought might be able to leave Israel yesterday, but because of the security situation, that wasn't able to happen again. 'But our foreign affairs staff are working day and night to explore every possible opportunity to help Australians get out of there.' Read the full story here.
