Dubai: On Monday, the UAE joined six other Arab states in cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar.
“All relations” with the state of Qatar have now been “sever[ed],” including the breaking off of diplomatic ties, a statement from the UAE government’s news agency WAM read. Qatari diplomats have 48 hours to leave the UAE.
Bahrain was the first state to break off with Doha, followed by Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Yemen and Libya followed suit.
Here’s a quick list of questions and answers you may have about the crisis:
I’ve got flights to Qatar today and tomorrow — can I still go?
Today, Monday, all flights will operate as normal. But after the early hours of Tuesday morning, you may be out luck. Dubai carrier Emirates said in a note to trade partners that it would suspend Qatar flights “as instructed by the UAE government.” The carrier will run its last flight from Dubai to Doha at 2:30am on Tuesday. Etihad will run its last flight from Abu Dhabi to Doha at 2:45am. Budget carrier Flydubai will run its last flight to Doha on Monday, at 21:25pm. Flights from Doha to the UAE will run their last flights around the same time frame.
Sharjah low-cost carrier Air Arabia appeared to have suspended all flights to Doha. A look on its website showed that a last, single flight on Monday afternoon was fully booked.
All of the UAE carriers said they would offer either full refunds or rebooking to other destinations.
As of Monday noon, Qatar Airways had not issued any statement on the future of its flights to and from Qatar.
I have already booked flights from Dubai that transit through Doha after Tuesday. What do I do?
Right now, it is best to wait and see. Qatar Airways has issued the following statement for each concerned country:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia until further notice.
UAE
Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the UAE from 00:00 UTC June 6 (4am UAE, 3am Doha time, June 6) until further notice.
Flights QR1020, QR1021, QR1054, QR1055, QR1034, QR1035, QR 1036, QR1037, QR1018, QR1019, QR1014 and QR1015 to and from the UAE on June 5 will operate as planned and remain unaffected.
Kingdom of Bahrain
Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the Kingdom of Bahrain from 00:00 UTC June 6 (4am UAE, 3am Doha time, June 6) until further notice.
Flights QR1106, QR1107, QR1108 and QR1109 to and from the Kingdom of Bahrain on June 5 will operate as planned and remain unaffected.
Egypt
Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to Egypt from 04:00 UTC June 6th (8am UAE, 7am Doha time, June 6) until further notice.
Flights QR1302 and QR1318 from Egypt on June 5th will operate as planned and remain unaffected.
All customers booked on affected flights will be provided with alternative options, including the option of a full refund on any unused tickets and free rebooking to the nearest alternative Qatar Airways network destination.
I’m a Qatari national living in the UAE. What do I do?
You have 14 days to leave. A Monday statement from the UAE’s state news agency WAM said that the government would give “Qatari residents and visitors in the UAE 14 days to leave the country for precautionary security reasons.”
The statement added that there would be a “closure of UAE airspace and seaports for all Qataris in 24 hours.”
Because flights will be cut by early Tuesday morning, if you cannot fly out by then, your best bet is to book a flight to Doha through a third country, such as Oman, or Iran.
Oman and Kuwait, the two remaining Gulf states who have not yet announced their stance on the rift. Until they do, it might be advisable to avoid travelling through all Gulf countries altogether to get back to Doha.
I’m a tourist with a Qatari visa on holiday in the UAE. What do I do?
According to the same UAE government statement, the same rules apply to you.
I’m an Emirati citizen and I want to fly through Qatar. What do I do?
Emiratis are now banned from visiting or even passing by Qatar at all means.
“UAE nationals are likewise banned from travelling to or staying in Qatar or transiting through its territories,” according to the WAM statement. It was not clear whether this was to take effect immediately, or within the 14-day period given for Qatari nationals or visitors.
I need to apply to a visa through the Qatari Embassy in UAE. Can I do this?
This is doubtful. A call to Qatar’s Abu Dhabi Embassy on Monday failed to get much information. An embassy staffer said that he believed that the embassy would be closed, and suggested to try again the next day.
A representative from the Qatari consulate in Dubai said that the consulate was not open for that day. The staffer said he had not received any updates on whether it would continue to offer any services.
