Qatar Airways travel update: Free date changes till April 30, or refunds offered; flights to 9 Indian cities till March 28

Qatar Airways has announced the partial resumption of its flight operations between March 18 and 28, 2026, as it works to recover from disruptions caused by the temporary closure of Qatari airspace. While full services are yet to be restored, the airline has rolled out a revised flight schedule, enabling many passengers to continue their journeys.The airline stated that full operations will resume only after the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirms the complete and safe reopening of national airspace. Until then, flights will operate within a restricted framework designed to prioritise safety. Qatar Airways is currently running a small number of flights to and from Doha, operating within a defined safe corridor. Due to the constraints, the number of flights operated per day remains very few, and all these are subject to approvals and changes in the air space. Passengers holding confirmed bookings on the flights operated as per the revised schedule would be contacted separately with the new travel details. Travellers are also advised to regularly check the airline’s website or app and ensure their contact information is up to date. In addition to Doha routes, the airline has arranged select city-to-city flights without a Doha connection for eligible passengers. These flights are not open for public bookings.Read more: UAE travel update: Flight operations resume partially; Etihad, flydubai, Air Arabia, Emirates revise schedules The limited schedule provides connections to several key destinations in Asia, with services now operating into major cities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong. In India, the airline is operating services to nine major cities, which include Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, and Thiruvananthapuram, providing some respite to air travellers on this key route, which is one of the airline’s busiest sectors. To help passengers who are affected by the current disruption, Qatar Airways has put in place flexible options for passengers who have confirmed bookings between February 28th, 2026, and March 28th, 2026. For these passengers, the following options are available: Two free changes of date, allowing the passenger to select a different flight date up to April 30th, 2026, on Qatar Airways-operated flights.Refund of the value of the ticket, if not used These options are meant to provide flexibility and eliminate any form of ambiguity.Read more: UAE travel update: Airspace reopens as GCAA lifts precautionary measures; flights resume normal operationsThe airline has also given a reminder that unless there is a confirmed booking and time of flight, there is no need for passengers to travel to the airport as the flight schedules are subject to change or cancellation. Qatar Airways has emphasised that the safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew remain the highest priority during this period of disruption. While limited operations have resumed, a full return to normal schedules will depend entirely on the reopening of Qatari airspace. As the situation continues to evolve, the airline will continue to add options as possible, as well as helping passengers reach their destinations under controlled conditions.