Earlier this week Qatar Airways was forced to suspend global operations after a missile strike triggered an unprecedented closure of Qatari airspace, plunging one of the world’s busiest airlines into a full-scale operational crisis.
Thousands of passengers were in flight at the time, including Greek Australians travelling to and from Greece.
The emergency unfolded at on Monday, June 23 , when Iranian missiles targeted Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, prompting immediate activation of air defence systems. Qatari authorities swiftly shut down the nation’s airspace in response, followed within hours by closures in Bahrain, the UAE, and Kuwait. The shutdown brought Hamad International Airport — a major global transit hub — to a standstill, with nearly 100 Qatar Airways aircraft either en route to Doha, in the airspace, or preparing for takeoff.
Over 90 flights, carrying more than 20,000 passengers, were forced to divert mid-air. Aircraft were rerouted to emergency landing sites including airports in Saudi Arabia (25 flights), Turkey (18), India (15), Oman (13), and the UAE (5), as well as major hubs in Europe and Asia. Meanwhile, inside Hamad International, over 10,000 transit passengers were stranded.
In a letter to passengers released today, Qatar Airways Group CEO Mohammed Al-Meer described the incident as “one of the most severe and complex operational challenges in modern aviation history.”
“A severe geopolitical escalation had forced the shutdown of our global hub, but our focus was to stay agile, adapt, and continue to deliver for our passengers,” Al-Meer wrote.
Flights from Doha resumed shortly after midnight on 24 June. In a massive logistical effort, the airline restored over 151 disrupted services. By 5:00 AM, more than 22,000 passengers were in transit at Doha airport.
Approximately 4,600 customers were accommodated in hotels, utilising over 3,200 rooms across the city. Over 35,000 meals and thousands of comfort kits were distributed. Airline staff worked in terminals to rebook itineraries, prioritise vulnerable travellers, and support those whose visas had expired or whose connecting flights were on partner airlines.
Despite the chaos the airline had cleared all diverted passengers — with over 11,000 rebooked by that morning and the remainder by the next evening. By Tuesday night, Qatar Airways had operated 390 flights and saw over 58,000 passengers depart Doha.
