Qatar Airways has issued a detailed statement clarifying the events that led to a sudden shutdown of its operations on Monday, 23 June 2025.
Qatar Airways responds to airspace scandal
The airline was forced to halt all global flights after Qatar’s airspace was abruptly closed following a missile attack by Iran targeting the US military’s Al Udeid Air Base near Doha.
What triggered the airspace closure
According to Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, the disruption started just after 18:00 local time (19:00 SAST) when Qatari airspace was shut down unexpectedly.
At the time, close to 100 Qatar Airways aircraft were either approaching Doha or preparing for departure from Hamad International Airport.
Soon after, Bahrain, the UAE, and Kuwait also shut down their airspace, expanding the impact of the closure.
Simultaneously, Iranian forces launched multiple ballistic missiles aimed at the Al Udeid Air Base.
Though 14 missiles were intercepted by Qatari air defences and no injuries were reported, the event caused panic and forced immediate changes to air traffic routes.
How Qatar Airways responded
The airline had to quickly divert over 90 flights carrying more than 20,000 passengers. Aircraft were re-routed to airports in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, Oman, the UAE, and several major cities in Europe and Asia.
Inside Doha’s Hamad International Airport, more than 10,000 passengers were already in transit.
“All departures from Doha were suspended until 00:01 on 24 June 2025,” said Al-Meer.
“Our seamless global operation was, in an instant, scattered across dozens of disrupted flight scenarios.”
The situation also impacted flight crews, with many reaching their legal operating hour limits, and several aircraft, including A380s, being grounded in unexpected locations.
Flights had to wait for clearance to re-enter restricted regional airspace, creating more delays.
Passenger care and recovery
To manage the situation, Qatar Airways activated its emergency response plans. Over 4,600 passengers were provided hotel accommodation in 3,200 rooms across Doha.
The airline distributed more than 35,000 meals and deployed staff to assist stranded travellers directly. Teams also manually rebooked flights and prioritised urgent cases, including families and those with medical needs.
The airline boosted contact centre capacity and introduced flexible travel policies allowing passengers to change or cancel bookings without penalties.
By 24 June, Qatar Airways had resumed 390 flights. By the following day, 25 June, operations increased to 578 flights. All 20,000 affected passengers were successfully rebooked and cleared within 24 hours of the disruption.
Qatar Airways’ message to passengers
Al-Meer extended gratitude to passengers for their patience and to airline staff for their dedication.
“Faced with an extraordinary challenge, we came together to support our passengers, recover our network, and return our operations to normal,” he said.
He concluded, “Millions place their trust in Qatar Airways to carry them across borders and time zones — and that trust is not taken lightly.”
The airline has since returned to full operational status. No passengers from the affected flights remain stranded.
