Juergen T Steinmetz
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
The timing couldn’t have been more bizarre. While airline bosses were arriving in Cancun, Mexico to attend the International Air Transport Association annual conference in Cancun, Mexico news broke from the Gulf Region about UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Egypt teaming up against the State of Qatar to isolate the country and immediately cut all air connectivity, effectively isolating Qatar.
Qatari planes were banned from landing in UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabian and Egyptian airports and banned from crossing their airspace. To make it worse, Bahrain manages the upper airspace over Qatar. Qatar still has ATC control over its own lower airspace. How this will affect operations of the country’s national carrier is unclear.
Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Saudia, Gulf Air, flydubai and Air Arabia were among the airlines that ceased flights to Qatar.
One of the shining stars for the IATA Conference opening session on Monday was Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker. He was among those attending the event and he was seen at the opening reception Sunday evening chatting with fellow guests and seemingly not aware of the imminent crisis. On Monday morning, he left Cancun on a private business jet to take charge of the crisis facing his airline and his country.
IATA’s top man Alexandre de Juniac, immediately took a stand today and said “Our industry depends on open borders. We would like borders to be reopened, the sooner the better,” His demands were voiced by many in the airline industry, by many airlines and governments.
The situation is ongoing. Qatar Airways is currently rerouting flights to not fly over closed airspace and so far gets the cooperation from Iran.
So far Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al Baker has been quiet commenting on the biggest crisis his airline and his country has been facing. Billions are invested, a new airport and in making Qatar Airways a five-star airline connecting the world through Doha.
