Inside the 24 hours that brought Qatar airspace to a close

Adding to the situation, some of Qatar’s flight crews had exceeded their legal operating hours which restricted their movement, he wrote. That meant most of the fleet, including A380s carrying more than 450 passengers each “were now out of position, some grounded at airports with curfews”. Other flights had to wait for clearance to re-enter restricted airspace.

“Every part of the operation had to adapt in real time – without precedent, and without pause.”

Hamad International Airport in Qatar is a major hub for Qatar Airways, on the popular long-haul route that crosses from Asia into Europe via the Middle East. Flights in and out of Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest hub, were also temporarily suspended.

After Qatari airspace reopened some five hours later, the diverted aircraft began returning to Doha.

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The number of passengers at the airport surged from 10,000 to more than 22,000 by 5.00am.

More than 4600 customers were housed in about 3200 hotel rooms across Doha, 35,000 meals were distributed, as well as water, “comfort kits, and reassurance were offered face to face, flight by flight”.

On Tuesday, 390 flights operated, rising to 578 the next day, Meer said.

Qatar runs nine daily flights from Australia’s capital cities to Doha, four of them operated in partnership with Virgin Australia. It owns 23.4 per cent of the Australian carrier.

Iran attacked the US in retaliation for a US aerial mission that aimed to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

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