Middle Eastern airlines have for some time now provided the gateway to the world for cost-conscious South Africans.
Emirates, Qatar and Etihad have dominated passenger volumes, with fares much more competitive than the direct flights offered by their competitors.
All that has changed now due to the ongoing war on Iran, and that country’s rataliation to the ongoing bombings.
Airlines operating between South Africa and major Middle Eastern are adjusting their schedules due to the ongoing conflict.
Emirates is running a reduced schedule to South Africa for mid to late March, with the possibility of further changes. Travellers booked up to mid-April have been given options to rebook or reroute without additional charges, provided the new travel takes place within the same region and timeframe.
Qatar Airways is also operating a limited schedule, with selected departures from Johannesburg via Doha on specific dates. These flights connect to a wide range of destinations across Europe, Asia, and North America, although availability remains tight and subject to change.
Turkish Airlines has taken a broader approach, allowing passengers travelling across several Middle Eastern destinations to rebook or reroute their journeys or request refunds without penalties. This flexibility applies to travel scheduled up to the end of April, with options extending into June.
Qatar Airways has moved 20 of its largest aircraft to a long-term storage facility in Teruel, Spain, signalling preparations for prolonged disruption across the Gulf region.
Over the past week, the airline relocated several aircraft to Spain’s Teruel Airport, a facility known for heavy maintenance and long-term storage operations.
According to data from Flightradar24, the airline sent five additional aircraft on Sunday, bringing the total at the site to 20.
Many of the aircraft are Airbus A380, Airbus A350, and Boeing 787 jets, among the largest in its fleet, typically used to carry passengers to its Doha hub for onward connections.
“Due to the current situation in the region and the resulting disruption to flight operations, Qatar Airways has positioned some of its aircraft at selected airports outside Qatar,” the airline told the Financial Times.
“This is a temporary measure, and the aircraft will be progressively returned to service as flight operations are restored to normal levels,” it added.
The move comes as US-Israeli strikes against Iran enter their fourth week, with Tehran retaliating with drone and missile strikes targetting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
The strikes began on February 28 and have reportedly killed some 1 300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. – ONN reporter and AA
