Around 20,000 passengers who witnessed flight diversions following an Iranian missile strike on the US Al Udeid Airbase on Monday (June 23) were put on new flights within 24 hours, Badr Al Meer, Qatar Airways' chief executive, said on Wednesday (June 25, 2025).
"This week brought an operational crisis few airlines will ever encounter, and one that challenged the very core of what it means to run a global airline,” Al Meer said in a statement, The National reported. Tehran responded to the US attacks on its nuclear facilities and launched a missile strike on the Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar, escalating tensions in the gulf region amid the Israel-Iran conflict.
Following Iran’s retaliation against Washington, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria all shut their airspaces. Besides this, airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai delayed operations.
Al Meer stated that more than 90 Qatar Airways flights to Doha were “forced to divert immediately.” According to The National, at least 25 flights went to Saudi Arabia, 18 went to Turkey, 15 to India, 13 to Oman, and five to the UAE. Other aircraft were rerouted to locations across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
The Qatar Airways chief further said that around 151 Qatar Airways flights faced immediate disruptions and that the airline had no option but to adapt in real “time—“without precedent and without pause.”
Over 10,000 passengers were also present at the Hamad International Airport. “They found themselves caught in the middle of one of the most severe and complex operational challenges in modern aviation history,” Al Meer said, according to The National.
He said that more than 11,000 passengers resumed their travel on Tuesday morning (June 24, 2025). Meanwhile, others departed later that evening and on Wednesday morning. “As of today, there are no passengers from diverted flights left stranded,” Al Meer claimed.
Besides Qatar Airways, other airlines, including Emirates, had also sprung into action, suspending, delaying, cancelling, or rerouting flights in the Gulf region due to the Iranian strike. Etihad Airways cancelled services to and from Tel Aviv until July 15.
Emirates on Tuesday said its passengers experienced minimal disruptions after scheduled flights resumed within a few hours. Meanwhile, Dubai-based airline flydubai said it would resume operations to Damascus starting on Thursday. It said it plans to resume its full schedule from July 1.
"This week brought an operational crisis few airlines will ever encounter, and one that challenged the very core of what it means to run a global airline,” Al Meer said in a statement, The National reported. Tehran responded to the US attacks on its nuclear facilities and launched a missile strike on the Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar, escalating tensions in the gulf region amid the Israel-Iran conflict.
Following Iran’s retaliation against Washington, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria all shut their airspaces. Besides this, airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai delayed operations.
Al Meer stated that more than 90 Qatar Airways flights to Doha were “forced to divert immediately.” According to The National, at least 25 flights went to Saudi Arabia, 18 went to Turkey, 15 to India, 13 to Oman, and five to the UAE. Other aircraft were rerouted to locations across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
The Qatar Airways chief further said that around 151 Qatar Airways flights faced immediate disruptions and that the airline had no option but to adapt in real “time—“without precedent and without pause.”
Over 10,000 passengers were also present at the Hamad International Airport. “They found themselves caught in the middle of one of the most severe and complex operational challenges in modern aviation history,” Al Meer said, according to The National.
He said that more than 11,000 passengers resumed their travel on Tuesday morning (June 24, 2025). Meanwhile, others departed later that evening and on Wednesday morning. “As of today, there are no passengers from diverted flights left stranded,” Al Meer claimed.
Besides Qatar Airways, other airlines, including Emirates, had also sprung into action, suspending, delaying, cancelling, or rerouting flights in the Gulf region due to the Iranian strike. Etihad Airways cancelled services to and from Tel Aviv until July 15.
Emirates on Tuesday said its passengers experienced minimal disruptions after scheduled flights resumed within a few hours. Meanwhile, Dubai-based airline flydubai said it would resume operations to Damascus starting on Thursday. It said it plans to resume its full schedule from July 1.
