Foreign airlines are preparing to return to Qatar’s airspace after a temporary shutdown triggered by regional tensions, with international carrier operations set to resume in phases.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) confirmed that foreign carriers will gradually restart services to and from Doha’s Hamad International Airport (HIA), marking the first step in reconnecting the country with global air networks.
“This decision follows a comprehensive assessment of the situation, conducted in coordination with all relevant national entities, to ensure the highest levels of readiness and operational efficiency,” QCAA said.
It affirmed that “all flights and related operations will be carried out in accordance with the highest internationally recognised safety and security standards, with all necessary measures and precautions in place to safeguard passengers and aviation personnel”.
In early March, the QCAA previously announced a “partial resumption of air navigation” with limited operational capacity, primarily to support passenger evacuation and repatriation flights, as well as facilitate cargo flight operations.
During this period, Qatar Airways operated “limited relief corridor” flights, with the initial service departing from HIA on 7 March to key European capitals including London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, as well as to Madrid, Rome and Frankfurt.
Operations in and out of the Qatari capital were limited to the national carrier, with each flight requiring a pre-allocation for passengers impacted by the disruptions.
More routes on the horizon for Qatar Airways
The news from QCAA comes days after Qatar Airways revealed it will be expanding its international networks and offering flights to more than 150 destinations, starting from 16 June.
Valid until 15 September, the Qatari flag carrier is introducing new routes and increased frequencies to and from Doha, to “connect more passengers to more of the world this summer”.
Qatar Airways’ updated network includes 44 destinations across Europe, including Baku, Copenhagen, Milan, Tbilisi, Vienna and Warsaw. In Africa, there will be 25 destinations, from Abuja and Algiers in the west and north, to Cape Town and Dar es Salam in the south and east.
The summer schedule also includes flights to 24 destinations in the Middle East, 46 in Asia, 14 in the Americas, and six in Oceania.
In 2025, Doha’s Hamad International Airport recorded 282,975 aircraft take-offs and landings. Last year, the airport also saw passenger traffic reach 54.3 million travellers, with August exceeding five million people to become its busiest month on record.