Flights across the globe have been sent into chaos after Qatar’s airspace was temporarily closed amid an escalation of conflict in the Middle East.
Iran launched missile strikes on a US base in Qatar on Monday, part of its avowed revenge against Washington for bombing its facilities at Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz the previous day.
The strikes prompted Qatar to close its airspace, but it reopened in the early hours of Tuesday morning. British nationals were also told by the UK to shelter in place, but after six hours, this advice was lifted.
Since the airspace closure, thousands of passengers who were diverted or had their flight cancelled are still waiting to get to their final destinations as airlines work to recover the international flight schedule.
Here is everything to know about travelling to or from Qatar.
What is the UK government’s advice?
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) recommended British nationals in Qatar to shelter in place just after 3.30pm BST Monday 23 June. This advice lifted around 9.30pm BST Monday, but the FCDO said British nationals should continue to follow advice from local authorities.
The shelter in place advice was issued out of an “abundance of caution” after a similar US security alert for US nationals in Qatar, the British embassy in Qatar said.
After the US lifted the advice to shelter in place, the FCDO followed suit.
“Following interceptions of Iranian missiles fired towards Qatar, the FCDO has been in touch with the local authorities and international partners, and reviewed the security situation,” the FCDO said.
It told British nationals in Qatar to carry on checking its travel advice page for Qatar, and to sign up for alerts.
While the FCDO does not have any warnings against travel to Qatar, it is still advising those heading to the country to be vigilant amid the Middle Eastern conflict.
“Ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Iran have the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning, including since US military strikes against Iran on 22 June,” the FCDO said.
“There is a possibility of travel disruption, including short-notice airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights, and other unanticipated travel impacts.”
The FCDO encourages British nationals to read its advice, monitor local and international media, be vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities, avoiding all but essential travel to military bases. It also says to check with relevant airlines for the latest updates before travelling.
Read more: Israel-Iran: Latest news
What happened to flights overnight?
Qatar’s airspace suddenly closed overnight ahead of the Iranian missile attack on a US base, causing thousands of passengers to be diverted to airports elsewhere in the Gulf and further afield.
Doha’s Hamad International Airport closed for around eight hours from Monday evening to the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The closure had a significant impact on flights, with Doha being only second to Dubai as an international hub airport in the Gulf, serving 120,000 passengers each day.
This caused dozens of flights to be diverted to airports such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but once these filled up, flights were then sent to locations such as Istanbul, Cairo and Indian airports including Delhi and Mumbai. Some flights returned to their departure points or were cancelled before leaving.
Read more: Doha Airport – what does closure of Qatar airspace mean for flights across Middle East?
Will my flight be cancelled?
At 1.20am local time, Qatar Airways posted on the social media platform X: “Qatar Airways confirms reinstatement of flights as airspace reopens in the State of Qatar.
“Our focus at this time is to help our passengers return home or reach their onward journey safely and smoothly. We’ve deployed extra ground staff at Hamad International Airport to support you as we resume operations.”
While departures resumed in the early hours of Tuesday morning, it will take days to clear the backlog.
As of Tuesday morning, some very heavily delayed flights have arrived or departed from Doha Hamad International Airport, and others have managed to keep to schedule, data from FlightRadar shows.
However, there is still a large number of cancellations affecting arrivals and departures, with other flights subject to very long delays.
The majority of flights affected are with Qatar Airways, although disruption is affecting other airlines such as Turkish Airlines, British Airways and Etihad Airways.
The FCDO is advising that there is a possibility of travel disruption, including short-notice airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights, and other travel impacts. It advises passengers to check with their airlines before travelling.
What are my rights if my flight was cancelled?
As a passenger, you are covered by UK law if you are departing from an airport in the UK on any airline, arriving at an airport in the UK on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.
If the cancelled flight is covered by UK law, passengers can choose between getting an alternative flight or receiving a refund.
If you are in Doha, you must be provided with a hotel and meals until you can be flown out. Sometimes, airlines are unable to arrange care and assistance if they are stretched during major disruptions, meaning you can arrange the care yourself and claim the cost back later by keeping receipts.
If you have not yet left the UK, passengers booked from UK airports on Qatar Airways flights via Doha to Asia, Australasia or Africa are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible by any carrier that has seats available.
You do not have these right if you booked on a non-European airline from an airport outside the EU and UK. Travel insurance may help with some out-of-pocket expenses.
Compensation is unlikely since the cause of cancellation is not the airline’s fault.
My flight was diverted, what happens next?
The airline should aim to put passengers and crew in hotels and then fly them to Doha once they are able to. If diverted to India, tough visa rules may complicate this, however.
Can I cancel my holiday?
As the FCDO has not warned against non-essential travel to Qatar, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund.
The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it’s best to contact them if you’re looking to postpone.
There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim on your travel insurance due to safety concerns unless government advice changes.
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