Qatar Airways has become the latest airline to suspend flights, cancelling routes to 22 cities amid a global jet fuel crisis. The Doha-based carrier joins 18 other airlines that have announced cancellations, with a total of 13,000 flights removed from May schedules worldwide, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
The disruptions stem from the ongoing Middle East conflict, which began in late February. Restricted airspace across the Gulf region, exacerbated by Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—through which about 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas passes—has led to skyrocketing jet fuel prices and supply concerns.
Among the suspended routes are flights from Doha Hamad International Airport to four European destinations: Malta, Sarajevo, Sofia, and Venice. Additionally, services to Canberra, Cebu, Djibouti, Kano, Kigali, Mogadishu, Nagpur, and Zanzibar have been halted. Further cancellations affect routes to Aleppo, Gassim, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, Mashhad, Neom Bay, Shiraz, Tabuk, Taif, Tehran, and Yanbu, including three cities in Iran where airspace remains closed.
Most suspended routes are expected to resume in September, after the summer holiday peak. However, routes to Aleppo and Iran are not included in the planned resumption. The airline has also announced the return of its Airbus A380s next month and the resumption of double-daily passenger flights to Abu Dhabi from 13 May.
Qatar Airways stated it is expanding its network to over 150 destinations from 16 June 2026, aiming to connect more passengers this summer.
