Qatar Airways Doha Airport Update Today: Flights Suspended Until Midnight UTC — Possible Partial Restart Tonight, Full Update Monday 9 a.m. Doha Time

Sunday, March 1, 2026 — Qatar Airways and Hamad International Airport are at the center of the most disruptive aviation crisis in the Middle East since the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is the absolute latest as of this afternoon ET, with the most critical update coming in the last hour directly from Qatar Airways' official newsroom.

Latest Qatar Airways Statement: Suspended Until Midnight UTC Tonight

Qatar Airways Group confirms that flight operations to Doha remain temporarily suspended until midnight UTC this evening, due to the closure of Qatari airspace. The airline continues to work closely with government stakeholders and relevant authorities to restore normal operations as soon as the airspace reopens. Midnight UTC translates to 8:00 p.m. ET Sunday night and 3:00 a.m. Monday local Doha time — meaning a potential partial restart of operations in the overnight hours could occur if Qatar's Civil Aviation Authority clears the airspace.

The airport's flight information shows that flights are currently cancelled until 7 p.m. local Doha time on Sunday, and operations would slowly resume in the evening, but this can obviously change. However, passengers should treat any restart as tentative — Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace, with a further update provided on March 2 by 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC).

What Passengers at Doha Airport Should Expect Right Now

At Hamad International Airport, affected passengers are currently being assisted by additional ground staff deployed to manage the situation. Qatar Airways is providing all necessary arrangements ensuring that every effort is made to minimise inconvenience during this disruption. Even when the airspace reopens, passengers should expect delays as aircraft and crews need to be repositioned across more than 170 destinations worldwide before normal operations can resume. Passengers can refund or change their flights for the next 7 days.

Why Doha's Airspace Is Closed — Qatar Was Directly Struck

Qatar strongly condemned Iranian attacks on Port of Duqm in Oman and an oil tanker off its coast. Qatar's own Industrial Area in Doha was struck by missile shrapnel — civil defense personnel were deployed following a fire resulting from debris after a missile interception. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq and Qatar have all closed their airspaces following the intensification of the conflict between Iran and Israel. The closures span one of the world's most densely trafficked aviation corridors, affecting tens of thousands of passengers daily.

Schools and Universities in Qatar Moving to Remote Learning

Qatar University and UDST announced a transition to remote learning, with schools and kindergartens in Qatar switching to distance learning. Indian education board CBSE postponed March 2 Class 10 and 12 exams in the Middle East as the crisis disrupts everyday life in Doha and across the Gulf. The scale of the disruption now extends well beyond aviation, touching education, commerce, and daily civilian movement across Qatar.

Other Gulf Airlines Still Grounded — Full Regional Picture

Etihad Airways said it would suspend all departures and arrivals before 02:00 UAE time on Monday, March 2. Emirates remains suspended indefinitely from Dubai. Air India confirmed it was closely monitoring the situation and carefully assessing evolving circumstances including safety, security, airspace availability and operational feasibility before deciding on operations for March 2, 2026. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency's Conflict Zone Information Bulletin advising carriers to avoid the airspace of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia remains in effect through at least Monday.

Passengers booked through Doha in the coming 48 hours should monitor Qatar Airways' official website and app continuously and do not proceed to any departure airport without confirmed flight status.