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Thousands stranded as Doha and Dubai airports overwhelmed by delays, reroutes after sudden airspace closures across the Gulf.
Qatar Airways resumed operations on Wednesday morning after Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait reopened their airspace following a temporary shutdown triggered by Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. military base in Doha late Monday night.
The sudden airspace closure caused widespread disruption across the Gulf region, stranding thousands of travelers and grounding hundreds of flights. Doha’s Hamad International Airport and Dubai International two of the world’s busiest aviation hubs were plunged into chaos, with passengers waiting in lines for hours amid flight cancellations, rerouting confusion, and scarce information.
Authorities confirmed that normal air traffic is gradually resuming, though airlines are still working through the backlog of delayed or canceled flights. “We are doing everything possible to rebook passengers and restore regular schedules by late Wednesday,” a Qatar Airways spokesperson said.
In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai International Airport briefly halted operations late Monday, compounding delays across international carriers. Emirates and Flydubai also reported dozens of cancellations.
The disruption followed heightened tensions in the region after Iran’s retaliatory strike on a U.S. installation in Doha, in response to what Tehran described as “continued U.S. interference” in the Iran-Israel conflict. No casualties were reported from the base, but the attack triggered immediate security measures across the Gulf.
Aviation analysts say the incident exposed the vulnerability of key transit hubs in the region. “When airspace closes across multiple Gulf states, even briefly, global aviation feels the ripple effect,” said Anwar Khatib, an aviation consultant based in Abu Dhabi.
Authorities in Doha urged passengers to check with airlines before traveling to the airport and warned of further delays throughout the day.
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