Qatar Airways expands fast
Qatar Airways will connect to over 120 destinations by mid‑May, adding or resuming service to major Asian hubs — Bangkok, Beijing, Mumbai, Manila, Jakarta, Singapore and Tokyo — plus leisure spots like Bali, Phuket and the Maldives, while promising flexible rebooking. Simultaneously, Middle East carriers including Emirates, Etihad and FlyDubai are still altering or suspending routes due to regional instability, so watch schedules closely if you’re routing through the Gulf. (travelandtourworld.com) (loyaltylobby.com) (travelandtourworld.com)
Qatar Airways published a revised schedule on April 1, 2026 and said the update was issued “in close co‑ordination” with the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority to operate through dedicated flight corridors. (qatarairways.com) The airline quietly extended its flexible rebooking and refund waiver through June 15, 2026, allowing passengers affected by schedule volatility additional time to change plans. (traveltrade.today) Under the extended waiver customers can reschedule a booking twice for travel through October 31, 2026 or take a refund for unused ticket value, according to industry reports tracking the policy. (loyaltylobby.com) Industry trackers reported that, prior to this latest ramp‑up, Qatar had been operating only about 15–40 daily passenger services — roughly 20% of its pre‑conflict schedule — highlighting the scale of the rebuild now under way. (loyaltylobby.com) By contrast, Emirates and Etihad suspended or heavily curtailed operations in early March as regional airspace closures unfolded, with major Gulf hubs closed on March 1 and carriers pausing services into Dubai and Abu Dhabi for multi‑day windows. (reuters.com) Aviation analytics cited by media put cancellations in the tens of thousands during the opening days of the crisis — Cirium reported more than 20,000 cancellations over a few days and trackers counted 8,100+ cancellations across Gulf airports by late March. (al-monitor.com) (airhelp.com) Some route pauses are unrelated to geopolitics: flydubai confirmed a planned suspension of Dubai–EuroAirport Basel services from April 16 to May 22, 2026 for runway refurbishment, underscoring that both operational maintenance and conflict are reshaping Gulf schedules. (travelandtourworld.com)
