Qatar isolated by neighbouring countries – what does this mean for QR?

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 68 total)

  • TominScotland
    Participant

    This report on the BBC is worrying for regional security and inter-regional travel

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-40155829

    Etihad has announced suspension of flights to Doha so, presumably, Emirates, Gulf Air, Saudia and Egyptair will follow suit. My guess is that QR will reciprocate in response.

    What are the implications of this for the ME3 and your travel plans in the Middle East? I have used Qatar quite a lot recently, both to the ME and further afield and was about to book another flight……


    Mark Caswell
    Keymaster

    Emirates has now confirmed suspension of flights from tomorrow (June 6):

    Gulf carriers suspend flights to and from Doha


    summerfly
    Participant

    It will be interesting to see how qatar (the state) responds to this and if it will take any action. I doubt we will ever find out what really goes on in some of middle eastern countries. But for now it seems that we might even be indirectly paying for our own destruction. As already pointed out on the forum today: BA is owned by IAG, which is co-owned by Qatar Airways, which is state owned.

    And over the last few years BA has been turned into a ‘magic money tree’ largely at the expense of its staff and loyal customer base.


    Intheair
    Blocked

    Summerfly

    I agree with you


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    If true about the state sponsorship, I wonder if that makes QR safer to fly than the others. Or is it perhaps the others taking this action to prove to the US that they are safer in order to get restrictions lifted.

    Again if true wouldn’t the US know about this and start to impose sanctions on Qatar (the state) generally?


    rferguson
    Participant

    If Qatar doesn’t reciprocate and continues to fly to the UAE and Saudi would they not benefit instead of suffer being in a monopolistic position?

    *****Edited by Business Traveller*****


    Kimi_CDG
    Participant

    [quote quote=812006]If true about the state sponsorship, I wonder if that makes QR safer to fly than the others. Or is it perhaps the others taking this action to prove to the US that they are safer in order to get restrictions lifted.

    Again if true wouldn’t the US know about this and start to impose sanctions on Qatar (the state) generally?

    [/quote]

    It seems to go well beyond this industry as the border with Saudi Arabia is now closed and Qatari citizens in the UAE requested to leave immediately the country (how?).
    Most of QR flights from Europe/US use the route over Turkey and then Iraq (8 out of ten CDG/BRU-DOH journeys I made recently). Similarly, flights to Asia and Oceania would “just” need to bypass the UAE.
    It becomes much more complicated for the flights to West and North Africa. Maybe QR will use their codeshare partner Royal Air Maroc for some of them.


    rferguson
    Participant

    Just reading further on the issue.

    So, QR have suspended sales of all tickets to Saudi/UAE/Egypt effective 6th Jun.

    The Gulf allies have also closed their airspace to QR which will cause chaos for the airline.


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    Yes, it will certainly be difficult, and more countries (and therefore airlines) seem likely to join in the ban.

    We will continue updating the story online to reflect – we are also trying to get information from British Airways with regards to the flights it codeshares with QR and what arrangements are possible for routes into Doha and then on to the affected countries – ones where there are other possible routings.


    Kimi_CDG
    Participant

    Read on the blog One Mile at a Time. This needs to be confirmed though.

    “Doha TMA (terminal manoeuvring area) is surrounded on all sides by Bahrain and Jeddah FIRs (flight information regions) . You cannot fly to/from Doha at all without entering those airspaces. If that OVF (flight permit) is denied, Qatar is entirely cut off from an aviation perspective.”


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Mrs. LP glad she used the last of her miles from QR for a return trip to JNB and even more pleased she traveled last week otherwise she may have been caught up in this. Nothing to do with the current events but she said she will no longer fly with them, but she’s preparing a report so I won’t preempt it.

    Seems Egypt now wants their central bank to halt all dealings in the Qatari Riyal and are speaking to the other central banks to do the same. QR lost 9% today.

    Also interesting just how much the Qatari’s own just in the UK, not just IAG but also stakes in VW, Shell, Glencore, Sainsbury’s to name a few, plus of course their massive property holdings in the UK, not least of all Harrods. If this turns out to be true will Mrs. M start confiscating their assets under the current terrorism laws? Might help pay off the national debt!

    I’m not privy to any information but I feel there is more to this than meets the eye. Something is going on. Why close land borders and expel citizens? Does not make sense and you’d think the Saudi’s et al would have the USA put pressure on them if there was any state sponsorship of terrorism, and it would all be done very quietly.


    Henryp1
    Participant

    Possibly for some travellers this may well reduce their earning of cheap BA tier points for status in the BAEC.


    esselle
    Participant

    If you are using Doha as a transfer airport, why would you think it necessary to not use QR, other than on “moral” grounds?


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Looks like this news is the background to today’s developments.

    “The $1 billion hostage deal that enraged Qatar’s Gulf rivals.” via FT

    https://www.ft.com/content/dd033082-49e9-11e7-a3f4-c742b9791d43


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    The travel alert on the Qatar Airways website has been updated as follows

    Suspension of Flights to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Kingdom of Bahrain
    Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
    Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia until further notice.
    UAE
    Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the UAE from 00:00 UTC June 6th (03:00 Doha time, June 6th) until further notice.
    Flights QR1020, QR1021, QR1054, QR1055, QR1034, QR1035, QR 1036, QR1037, QR1018, QR1019, QR1014 and QR1015 to and from the UAE on June 5th will operate as planned and remain unaffected.
    Kingdom of Bahrain
    Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the Kingdom of Bahrain from 00:00 UTC June 6th (03:00 Doha time, June 6th) until further notice.
    Flights QR1106, QR1107, QR1108 and QR1109 to and from the Kingdom of Bahrain on June 5th will operate as planned and remain unaffected.
    Egypt
    Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to Egypt from 04:00 UTC June 6th (07:00 Doha time, June 6th) until further notice.
    Flights QR1302 and QR1318 from Egypt on June 5th will operate as planned and remain unaffected.
    All customers booked on affected flights will be provided with alternative options, including the option of a full refund on any unused tickets and free rebooking to the nearest alternative Qatar Airways network destination.
    Please check this page regularly for further flight updates.
    For passengers with existing bookings, please call +974 4023 0072 or contact your nearest Qatar Airways office: https://www.qatarairways.com/en/contact-us.htmlFor further information and FAQs please visit: http://support.qatarairways.com/hc/en-us/sections/115002369667-FAQs

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