Qatar Airways has initiated relief flights to evacuate stranded passengers from the Middle East as regional airspace remains closed due to escalating conflict. The airline announced services from Muscat to major European hubs including London Heathrow, Berlin, and Rome, plus flights from Riyadh to Frankfurt. The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority has kept airspace closed since Saturday amid missile and drone risks.

Regional carriers including Emirates and Etihad Airways have suspended regular services since the US-Israel-Iran conflict erupted. The disruption has stranded tens of thousands and forced cancellation of over 23,000 scheduled flights. The Middle East typically handles some of the world's busiest air traffic, with Dubai's airport and Emirates airline serving as global aviation hubs. Now, aircraft sit grounded in distant locations like China and Australia.

Oman and Saudi Arabia have become evacuation havens as flights from these countries remain operational. Germany, the UK, and Italy are sending planes to retrieve citizens. Emirates has conducted some evacuation flights despite suspending regular service. Qatar Airways warned passengers to wait for airline notification before heading to evacuation airports, as the situation remains fluid with another update promised Friday.