After airspaces across the Middle East were closed on Monday 23 June in anticipation of Iran’s retaliatory attack on US military bases in the region, most airports in the Middle East were operational once again as of Tuesday 24 June. Yet despite the reopening, chaos reigned at one of the world’s busiest airports in Doha.
The temporary closure of airspaces across the Middle East on Monday continued to show its impact on air travel in the region on Tuesday 24 June, with many flights being delayed and cancelled at Hamad International Airport in Doha. Thousands of travellers have been queuing for hours on end at the airport on Tuesday, while disruptions are expected until 26 June.
Thousands of travellers stuck in this MASSIVE queue at Doha Airport's transfers due to widespread flight delays following Iran's missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar.
— The Kiffness (@TheKiffness) June 24, 2025
Looks like we're in for a long wait! 😅 pic.twitter.com/ha4XCYSd53
According to estimations by Virgin Australian, more than 25,000 passengers were stranded at Doha on Tuesday. Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed that 250 flights were cancelled at Hamad airport, while another 238 were delayed. The airport organisation apologised for any inconvenience.
“Hamad International Airport’s operations are gradually recovering and returning to normal. During this transition, we apologise for any inconvenience caused by the rescheduling of affected flights, and appreciate our passengers understanding and patience. We advise our passengers to check the latest status of their flights with their respective airline and consider completing online check-in before arriving at the airport,” the airport said in a statement.
Qatar Airways, too, shared a statement saying they were restoring their network but passengers should expect disruptions until 26 June and are advised to regularly check their flight information.
Across Qatar Airways, our teams are working with focus and care to support passengers following the re-opening of airspace in the State of Qatar. We are in the process of restoring our global network of more than 170 destinations and are assisting all affected passengers with…
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) June 24, 2025
According to FlightRadar24, Dubai International Airport – the world’s busiest airport – was also impacted by delays and cancellations. Some 145 flights were cancelled and over 450 delayed.
“Due to regional airspace closures, flights from DXB and DWC – Al Maktoum International may be impacted. Please check with your airline for the latest updates before heading to the airport, especially for guests travelling to India,” Dubai Airport said in an update online.
Dubai-based airline Emirates, on the other hand, said passengers should expect minimal disruptions as flights resumed after a break of just a few hours.
People online have been sharing images of the queues and overcrowded terminals online. Reportedly, heated arguments broke out as some travellers tried to skip in line after hours of waiting time.
Hamad International Airport in Doha being one of the busiest airports in the world and a critically important transit hub, the disruptions at the airport will impact a great amount of travellers across the world this week. Moreover, several international airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Air France, British Airways, and Finnair had already suspended their flights to the Middle East before the airspace closure, resulting in even more flight cancellations for passengers across the globe.
