Air Travel Ban to Qatar Starts June 6: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt Initiate Suspension

Air travel in and around the Gulf is being impacted after Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday, June 5th, accusing the country of supporting terrorism and radical Islamist groups.

The economic consequences were felt right away as Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, Dubai’s Emirates Airline, and budget carrier Flydubai announced they would halt all flights to and from Doha starting Tuesday, June 6th, until further notice. Additionally, Qatar Airways announced on its website that it had suspended all flights to and from Saudi Arabia.

As part of closing transport links with Qatar, the three Gulf states have given Qatari visitors and residents two weeks to leave. Qatar has also been expelled from the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.

If you are affected by these changes, get in touch with your airline for the latest updates and possible solutions.