Coronavirus
Qatar Cites Covid-19 in Bid to Regain Access to Neighbors’ Skies

(Bloomberg) — Qatar is renewing its push to regain access to the airspace of Gulf neighbors by invoking the coronavirus.
Assistant Foreign Minister Lolwah Al Khater said the government refiled on March 29 a complaint with the United Nations civil aviation agency over a ban on Qatar-registered aircraft in airspace controlled by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
Reopening the airspace would “avoid further derailing of these humanitarian efforts and medical assistance,” Al Khater said in a statement. She said Qatar had flown aid shipments to China, Iran, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, as well as flights shuttling Europeans and Americans back home.
Airspace access has become a key issue in the ongoing squabble between Qatar and the four nations that cut diplomatic ties and shuttered their borders to the natural-gas rich nation in June 2017. The U.S. has pushed the countries to resolve their differences amid rising tensions with Iran.
Qatar is home to the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, yet the embargo has made the country reliant on Iran’s airspace. While longer flight times and higher fuel costs have generated losses at state-backed Qatar Airways, the carrier has continued to expand its global reach and plans to increase capacity at Hamad International Airport in Doha.
William Raillant-Clark, a spokeman for the International Civil Aviation Organization, had no comment on the dispute. He said ICAO is supporting the efforts of unidentified states to “ensure continued access for humanitarian reasons.”
-
News1 month ago
Offer Price, Overview, Investors: Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Asyad Shipping’s Mega IPO
-
OER Magazines2 months ago
OER, January 2025
-
Automotive2 months ago
[REVIEW] A Legend Reinvented: The Nissan Patrol Y63 Blends Heritage with Modern Mastery
-
OER Magazines4 weeks ago
OER, February 25
-
Alamaliktistaad Magazines4 weeks ago
Al-iktisaad, February 2025
-
Manufacturing2 months ago
JSIS Promotes Steel Slag for Sustainable Construction Practices
-
Energy1 month ago
Dubai Supreme Council of Energy Unveils 5th Emirates Energy Award 2023–2025 in Muscat
-
News2 months ago
Oil Prices Rise as Investors Assess New US Tariff Threats