Qatar Airways has commented for the first time on the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, which has led to multiple foreign airlines temporarily suspending flights to Doha and other nearby destinations, such as Dubai.
On Sunday evening, the carrier attempted to reassure worried passengers that it had “some of the best people in the business working behind the scenes to keep our network strong and secure.”
While major international airlines, including American Airlines, Air France, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines, have suspended flights to the Middle East, local carriers have maintained their normal flight schedules.
Recognizing the obvious disparity between approaches, Qatar Airways felt the need to proactively put out a public statement on its decision to keep flying with few interruptions.
“At Qatar Airways, our unwavering commitment to integrity, reliability, and resilience continues to guide us as we navigate the evolving situation in the region,” the airline said.
“We are continuously monitoring and assessing the situation, and reacting in real-time to ensure we operate under the safest conditions possible at all times.”
Qatar is home to a major US Air Base known as Al Udeid Air Base, located southwest of Doha, making the country a potential target for a military counterstrike by the Iranian regime.
In the last few days, satellite images showed that the US military had apparently moved key assets out of Qatar. Late last week, the US Embassy in Doha said it had temporarily limited access to Al Udeid Air Base out of “abundance of caution.”
Other major airlines in the region, including Emirates and Etihad, have yet to address the developing security situation. Neither airline immediately responded to a request for comment.
Airlines that have suspended flights to the Middle East include:
American Airlines: Canceled its daily service between Philadelphia and Doha late last week. Flights were initially meant to resume on June 22 but have now been pushed to June 23.
Air France: A daily service between Paris and Dubai has been canceled on Sunday and Monday. Flights are currently expected to resume on Tuesday.
British Airways: Suspended flights to Bahrain late last week and canceled flights to Dubai on Sunday. Flights to Dubai are currently expected to resume late on Monday.
Finnair: A daily service between Helsinki and Doha was suspended on June 19 but is expected to resume on June 23.
Singapore Airlines: Canceled its daily service between Singapore and Dubai on Sunday but is expected to operate on Monday.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: a daily service between Amsterdam and Dubai has been canceled until June 25 at the earliest.
On Sunday, the US State Department travel advisory warned American citizens in the United Arab Emirates to keep a low profile and prepare a plan for emergency situations.
The official travel advisory alert level has not, however, changed since January, and American citizens are only advised to ‘exercise increased caution’ in the country.
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