Qatar Airways has announced that it will operate 29 flights to and from Doha on Thursday after receiving temporary permission from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. The airline confirmed that the schedule includes 15 departures from Doha and 14 arrivals. These flights are intended to maintain international travel connections while the Middle East continues to face aviation disruptions due to the conflict involving Iran.

The flights from Doha will connect passengers to several major global destinations. These include cities such as Beijing, New York, Madrid, London, Cairo, Johannesburg, Frankfurt, Mumbai, Delhi, Colombo, Jakarta, and Manila. Pakistan is also among the destinations included in the airline’s temporary schedule.

At the same time, Doha will receive incoming flights from major cities around the world. These include Cairo, Dallas Fort Worth, London Heathrow, Paris, Rome, Jeddah, Muscat, Hong Kong, Seoul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Melbourne. The airline says the goal is to ensure travellers can continue their journeys even as regional airspace restrictions remain in place.

A spokesperson for Qatar Airways explained that the adjusted flight schedule is designed to help passengers travel safely and efficiently despite the ongoing regional situation. Many airlines have been forced to reduce or cancel flights because several countries partially closed their airspace after the conflict escalated.

The conflict has also caused serious challenges for other international airlines, especially Indian carriers that normally rely on Middle Eastern air corridors to reach Europe and North America. Since Pakistan banned Indian airlines from using its airspace last year, these airlines now face even more limited route options.

According to aviation data from Cirium, airlines such as Air India and IndiGo were unable to operate about 64 percent of their 1,230 scheduled flights to Europe, North America, and the Middle East over the past ten days due to rerouting and airspace restrictions.

Meanwhile, major Gulf airlines like Emirates and Etihad Airways are also operating with limited schedules. Both airlines have resumed some services but are still running fewer flights than normal because of security concerns and restricted airspace across the region.

Reports indicate that Emirates is currently operating at roughly 60 percent of its normal flight capacity while adjusting routes to avoid restricted areas in the region. Some long-haul flights are also being rerouted through alternative paths, which can increase travel time.

Etihad Airways has also restarted a limited number of flights from Abu Dhabi to several international destinations. However, the airline has suspended or reduced many routes and is gradually restoring operations depending on safety assessments and airspace access.

Aviation experts say Qatar Airways’ ability to maintain operations highlights the importance of Doha as a major global aviation hub. The airline’s flexible scheduling allows both business and leisure travellers to continue flying even during regional instability.

Officials have advised passengers to check their flight status regularly before heading to the airport, as schedules may change at short notice. Airlines across the region say passenger safety remains their top priority while they work to keep international travel routes open despite the ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)