Thursday, July 16, 2026

Emirates, Qatar Airways suspend operations amid airspace closure due to U.S., Iran hostilities

Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. and Israel launched deadly airstrikes on Iran. 

• February 28, 2026
Emirates and Qatar Airways
Emirates and Qatar Airways

Emirates and Qatar Airways have temporarily suspended operations due to airspace closures in the Middle East as the U.S. and Iran exchanged ballistic missiles on Saturday.

The two airlines, in separate statements, announced the suspension of operations, citing ongoing hostilities between the U.S. and Iran.

“Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended operations to and from Dubai,” Emirates Airline said. “Emirates urges customers to check emirat.es/travelupdates and emirat.es/flightstatus for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport.”

The airline said it “apologises to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements.”

Similarly, Qatar Airways announced that “flight operations to Doha remain temporarily suspended until midnight UTC this evening, due to the closure of Qatari airspace.”

It added, “At Hamad International Airport, affected passengers are currently being assisted by additional ground staff deployed to manage the situation. Qatar Airways is providing all necessary arrangements, ensuring that every effort is made to minimise inconvenience during this disruption.”

Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. and Israel launched deadly airstrikes on Iran, targeting the office of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and nuclear sites.

Amid the attack, American President Donald Trump, in a broadcast, declared the U.S. is out to eliminate members of Iran’s “terrible regime.”

Mr Trump said his government is carrying out “major combat operations” in Iran, charging the citizens to take over the government.

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