A major airline is facing an extended grounding due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Qatar Airways announced the suspension of its flights as a result of the closure of Qatari airspace, affecting major hubs in the region.

According to a statement released by the airline, scheduled flight operations will remain on hold until the safe reopening of Qatari airspace, as determined by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. An update on the situation is expected to be provided on March 6 at 0900 Doha time (0600 UTC).

In response to the crisis, the British government is organizing a charter flight from Muscat, Oman, to repatriate stranded British citizens in the Middle East. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that the flight will depart in the coming days to assist those affected by the conflict between Iran, the US, and their allies.

While a few commercial flights are managing to bring back Britons to the UK, the majority of departures from the region have been canceled due to widespread airspace closures. The Foreign Office has noted the presence of around 130,000 British nationals in the Middle East and is working on increasing capacity for their evacuation, with a focus on vulnerable individuals.

Unlike airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, the Foreign Office has not issued a travel advisory for the area where Muscat International Airport is located. Oman’s capital can be accessed by road from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with approximately 132,000 individuals registered with the Foreign Office by Tuesday afternoon.

British Airways has announced that it will operate a flight from Muscat to London Heathrow on Thursday, as it continues to face restrictions on flights from various destinations in the region. Other airlines like Emirates and Etihad Airways are adjusting their schedules in response to the ongoing situation.

The disruption in the Middle East is affecting about half a million passengers daily who use airports in Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, key hubs for travel between Europe, Asia, and Australia. Aviation experts anticipate that it may take weeks to clear the backlog of passengers once airspace restrictions are lifted, considering the high volume of daily traffic and the capacity of aircraft serving these routes.