Aviation in the Middle East is showing initial signs of a cautious return to normalcy after airspace over much of the region came to a near standstill in late February 2026 as a result of the war in Iran. Qatar Airways began resuming limited operations from its hub at Doha Hamad International Airport on March 7, 2026, focusing primarily on repatriation flights for stranded passengers. At the same time, Kuwaiti low-cost carrier Jazeera Airways is preparing a logistically complex solution via Saudi Arabia's Qaisumah Airport to circumvent the ongoing closure of Kuwaiti airspace.
While Saudi Arabia and Oman kept their air corridors open during the conflict, and the United Arab Emirates recently resumed operations, Kuwait and Bahrain remain the last Gulf states with a complete ban on civil aviation. The situation remains volatile, as Iranian and Iraqi airspace remains closed to all civilian use, necessitating extensive diversions for international air traffic between Europe and Asia.
Gradual reactivation of the Doha hub
The decision by Qatari authorities to partially reopen its airspace marks a significant turning point for Qatar Airways. Since February 28, 2026, numerous Qatar Airways aircraft had been stranded at airports such as Muscat due to the sudden closure of the airspace. During the initial days of the reopening, flight volume remained extremely low; only five departures were recorded on March 7. However, plans call for a gradual increase to up to 15 scheduled flights by March 11. The airline emphasizes that this is not currently a regular scheduled service. The priority is clearly the repatriation of passengers stranded due to the conflict in the region.
Particular attention is being paid to the logistical challenge of bringing the aircraft stranded abroad back to its base in Doha. Qatar Airways had meanwhile attempted to maintain operations with relief flights from Muscat, using aircraft that were already outside Qatar when the war broke out. The airline's global cargo operations are also continuing under severely restricted conditions to prevent a complete disruption of vital supply chains despite the unstable security situation in the Gulf region.
Logistical evasive maneuvers in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
The situation is considerably more complicated for Kuwaiti airlines. Since Kuwaiti airspace remains completely closed, Jazeera Airways has initiated a cooperation with the Saudi Arabian authorities. The plan is to operate repatriation charter flights from Qaisumah Airport. Qaisumah is located in Saudi Arabia, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the Kuwaiti border. Passengers currently have to make this journey themselves and also possess a valid Saudi Arabian visa, which significantly increases the obstacles to a quick return.
While Jazeera Airways plans to establish a dedicated bus service between Kuwait and its Saudi Arabian alternate airport, recent transponder data shows that actual flight operations from Qaisumah have not yet fully resumed. The airline is currently operating with only a fraction of its fleet – specifically, two Airbus A320-200s and one A320-200neo – which were outside Kuwait at the time of the airspace closure. These aircraft are currently being used for Umrah charter flights between Saudi Arabia and Russia, while the majority of the fleet remains grounded in Kuwait.
Fragmentation of airspace in the Gulf
The current crisis highlights the differing security assessments within the Gulf states. While Saudi Arabia and Oman kept their airspace open throughout, thus functioning as crucial transit corridors, smaller states like Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain responded to military activity in neighboring Iran with complete airspace closures. This fragmentation is leading to massive congestion on the remaining open routes. Recent Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) indicate that Qatar will keep its airspace closed to overflights at least until noon on March 9, 2026, further increasing pressure on flight routes over Saudi Arabia and Oman.
The closure of Iranian and Iraqi airspace is forcing international traffic to take long detours via Egypt and the Red Sea, or northwards over the Caucasus and Central Asia. These detours not only lead to significantly longer flight times, but also increase fuel consumption and operating costs for airlines worldwide. Network carriers in the region, whose business model relies on efficiently connecting East and West via their central hubs, are particularly affected.
Economic consequences and operational uncertainty
The full economic impact of the prolonged groundings in Kuwait and Bahrain is not yet entirely clear, but is likely to be substantial. For airlines like Jazeera Airways and Gulf Air, every day without regular flight operations means significant financial losses while fixed costs continue to accrue. The gradual resumption of flights in Doha by Qatar Airways is therefore seen within the industry as a sign of a possible easing of the situation, even though the security situation remains precarious due to the ongoing fighting in Iran.
Airlines must demonstrate a high degree of flexibility during this phase. Planning repatriation flights requires close coordination with military authorities and international regulatory bodies to ensure the safety of civil aviation. Experts anticipate that a full return to the regular flight schedule will only be possible once stable security guarantees for the overflight corridors are in place and the immediate threat from missile attacks or electronic jamming in the region has subsided.
Future prospects for regional air traffic
The main focus in the coming days will be on developments in Kuwait and Bahrain. As long as these two countries do not at least partially open their airspace for transit, routing in the Gulf will remain severely restricted. Jazeera Airways' initiative via the Saudi Arabian hub of Qaisumah could serve as a model if the closures in Kuwait continue much longer. However, it is becoming clear that such makeshift solutions can only handle a fraction of the normal traffic volume and primarily serve a humanitarian purpose.
The air transport infrastructure in the Persian Gulf, which has been developed into one of the most efficient in the world over the past two decades, is facing a severe test. The resilience of the hub models in Doha and Dubai will depend crucially on how quickly political stability can be restored in the region. Until then, air traffic will remain a reflection of geopolitical tensions, characterized by short-term NOTAMs, repatriation efforts, and the constant search for safe corridors in an unstable environment.