Qatar Airways, Gulf Air Start Limited Rescue Flights Abroad

Qatar Airways and Gulf Air have begun limited rescue flight operations from airports outside their home countries as airspace closures continue across parts of the Gulf following the regional conflict involving Iran. The airlines restarted a small number of flights between March 4 and March 5, 2026, using aircraft that were already positioned outside Qatar and Bahrain when the shutdown began.

Both carriers have been unable to operate aircraft currently parked at their main hubs at Doha Hamad International Airport and Bahrain International Airport, as the airspaces over Qatar and Bahrain remain closed to all civilian traffic. The closures were implemented on February 28 as a security precaution amid escalating regional tensions.

Instead, the airlines are deploying aircraft that were outside their home bases when the restrictions took effect, allowing them to conduct limited operations aimed primarily at assisting stranded travelers.

Flight tracking data indicates that Gulf Air has reactivated three Airbus A321-200 aircraft to operate services from airports in Saudi Arabia. These flights departed from Dammam and Riyadh and connected passengers to destinations including Cairo International Airport, Larnaca International Airport, Mumbai International Airport, and Delhi International Airport on March 4.

Dammam, located in eastern Saudi Arabia, lies just across the border from Bahrain and can be reached by road in roughly one hour, making it a practical temporary operating base for Gulf Air during the airspace shutdown. Despite the limited rescue flights, the airline’s regular scheduled network remains suspended indefinitely.

Qatar Airways has also launched limited evacuation and rescue services using aircraft based outside Qatar. The airline began these flights on March 5 from Muscat International Airport in Oman. Aircraft deployed for the operations include at least two Boeing 777-300ERs, one Airbus A350-900, one Boeing 787-8, and one Boeing 787-9.

While Qatar Airways has paused passenger operations from its home hub since February 28, the airline has continued operating cargo flights worldwide, maintaining supply chains and freight connectivity throughout the crisis.

Elsewhere in the region, Emirates became the first airline from one of the affected countries to resume limited scheduled passenger services on March 5. Although its flight schedule remains significantly reduced, the airline has reopened bookings, giving priority to passengers whose earlier flights were cancelled.

Following the partial reopening of airspace in the United Arab Emirates, Syria, and Israel, several regional aviation markets are slowly restoring operations. However, passenger flights remain fully suspended in Iran, Iraq, and Kuwait, where airspace restrictions continue to halt commercial aviation activity.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com