In an open letter by the CEO of the Qatar Airways Group, details were mentioned about what really went down when the situation escalated. As the Qatar airspace closed, several flights were diverted by the airline, with many passengers even stuck in transit. He gives a lowdown of everything that really happened in the detailed letter.
Qatar Airways Group CEO Pens Open Letter
When the Qatar airspace closed unexpectedly at 6 PM on June 23, the airline had to suspend its global operations. Shortly after this, airspace in the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait had also closed. In fact, the Hamad International Airport, which is one of the busiest airports in the world, had been brought to a standstill as nearly 100 aircraft that were en route to Doha came to a pause.
Over 90 Flights Diverted
He mentioned that more than 90 Qatar Airways flights that were carrying 20,000 passengers had to be diverted. In fact, 25 were diverted to the airports across Saudi Arabia. Additionally, 18 were diverted to Turkey, 15 to India, 13 to Oman, and 5 to the United Arab Emirates. The remaining aircraft were rerouted to other major hubs, such as London, Barcelona, and other countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Flights Suspended Until 1 AM Of June 24
Due to the tense situation, flights remained suspended until 1 AM on June 24. And inside Hamad International Airport, 10,000 passengers who were already in transit were also stuck. They were caught in the middle of this severe situation as they were waiting to depart when the airport came to a standstill. Most of the fleet was out of position, with flight crews already timed out of the legal hours. As a result, more than 151 flights were immediately disrupted, but the priority was to provide the utmost care to the passengers impacted by this unprecedented situation.
Shortly after midnight, when the airspace reopened, diverted flights began to return to the hub. By 5 AM, the number of passengers who were in transit increased to more than 22,000. And 4,600 customers were given hotel accommodations! As a result, approximately 3,200 rooms across Doha were used. Many of these passengers received onward boarding passes for the rescheduled flights before even leaving the terminal.
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35000+ Meals Distributed
In fact, more than 35,000 meals were distributed, besides water, comfort kits, and reassurances that were given to passengers. Finally, 20,000 passengers were cleared within 24 hours as more than 11,000 departed for their journey during the morning wave. Some departed in the evening wave, and the rest of them departed on the morning of June 25. Within 18 hours, the scheduled operations had resumed once again as the system began to stabilise.
It is indeed true that the scale of speed and recovery shows its experience, commitment, and planning of Qatar Airways.
Cover Image Courtesy: X/QatarAirways
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