Middle East Airspace Diversions/Cancellations

[MELso]

Out of curiosity if QR cancel a flight do they reimburse you for seats that have been purchased? It would be nice to get the money back (if if just a credit).

Yup - see here. https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/complement-your-journey/preferred-seat.html

 

[offshore171]

Seems to be a fair bit of BAU activity into Dubai now.

Qatar still deserted though

 

[Tiki]

Anyone looking to get home, try SQ. I got home yesterday to BNE VA award in Y. The flight had heaps of empty seats. IST-SIN empty middle seat, SIN-BNE whole row of 3 to myself, laid down and slept like a log for 6 hours. When I checked in, I could have paid $1000 USD-ish to upgrade to J or $500 to PE. But I overdid the shopping in Istanbul so couldn't afford it.

 

[offshore171]

Just sawthis on the Front Page of the SCMP - pretty chilling picture; not sure when taken as it does not say...

March 16

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/03/16/dubai-airport-drone-strike-iran/

 

[Beer_budget]

View attachment 501594Just saw this on the Front Page of the SCMP - pretty chilling picture; not sure when taken as it does not say...

Google Lens indicates this is from the 16/03 fire resulting from a drone striking a fuel tank at DXB

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

My friend was not contacted by Virgin as they stated in their blurb. Checked with Virgin where to from here, date change same flights, 12 month valid Virgin Airlines Credit or cash refund. Asked for alternative flights, none could be found...

Refund requested.

I was only notified yesterday for a flight departing 28 March, so it may be they just hadn't gotten to your friend yet. I didn't bother asking for alternatives as I'd booked elsewhere and the agent sounded rather relieved when I proactively asked for the refund.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

March 16

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/03/16/dubai-airport-drone-strike-iran/

FWIW, and as an example of overall "stability" (relative term, obviously) at Dubai Airport, this incident caused what is the only cancellation of the EK 412/413 DXB-SYD-DXB sector (the only SYD rotation operating at the moment) that's happened since March 7/8. Other than that it's operated daily including the CHC tag for the last ~3 weeks (the SYD-CHC tag has operated without interruption since the beginning of the war). SYD-centric again, but Etihad also seems to be back on track with their one daily flight currently operating. QR is definitely the outlier of the big 3.

As I'm risking this on Saturday, I'm hoping it holds. Seat map for SYD-DXB is surprisingly full, DXB-CDG and then CDG-DXB-SYD two weeks later very empty for now.

 

[Aeryn]

the SYD-CHC tag has operated without interruption since the beginning of the war

Never a reason not to, there were available aircraft and crew on the ground in Aus/NZ and no clear and present dangers in this region.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Never a reason not to, there were available aircraft and crew on the ground in Aus/NZ and no clear and present dangers in this region.

The tags were almost certainly not commercially viable on an A380 with no through-traffic to/from Dubai so that could be a good reason, but that would have been balanced with parking costs at SYD, costs and poor optics associated with disrupting those pax who were only flying SYD to/from CHC, and perhaps utilising otherwise idle crews while keeping planes in the air where they're happiest.

Then again, for the fun of it I did have a look at F fares to CHC those first few days as I've always wanted to experience it but prices didn't budge from normal.