What really happens when airspaces close

A major airline has revealed the mammoth operation that took place when the Qatari airspace was forced to shut, in a rare behind the scenes.

Australian airlines have been forced to reroute and cancel flights this week after conflict caused major disruption the Middle East.

But what is the process behind calculating risk in international airspace?

On Tuesday, two Qantas flights from Perth – one to London and one to Paris – were diverted due to a traffic jam in the skies above the Gulf.

In the hours prior, Iranian missile attacks on a US military base in Qatar had led to the closure of parts of the airspace in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Two Qantas flights from Perth – one to London and one to Paris – were diverted due to a traffic jam in the skies above the Gulf. Picture: Julian Andrews

Pilots London-bound on QF9 were advised by Mumbai air traffic control of the situation and quickly alerted Ben Holland, head of Qantas’ integrated operations centre.

The contingency plans were as follows: within minutes, Holland had met with senior staff from multiple departments via conference call.

Qantas took a “conservative risk perspective” and used multiple sources of intelligence and information as a part of a multi-layered process to manage situations, Qantas chief risk officer Andrew Monaghan told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“We’re doing things more frequently in terms of risk assessment,” he said.

Ben Holland, the head of Qantas' integrated operation centre, jumped on a conference call with other executives minutes after the call. Picture: Qantas

“There’s just more effort that has to go into it because the availability of airspace is limited.”

The flight corridors through the Middle East are one of the main avenues by air to Europe for Aussie travellers, which have been narrowed significantly since the Iran-Israel conflict escalated.

QF9 was directed to reroute to Singapore while the other aircraft, QF33, was told to return to Perth – with passengers enduring a 15-hour flight to nowhere.

Those on board were not told about the missile attack until returning to Australia, WAToday reported, instead were only told the flight was turning back because airspace over Qatar had closed.

Behind the scenes of Qatair Airways’ operation

In a rare open letter penned by Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, he described the shutdown as “one of the most severe and complex operational challenges in modern aviation history”.

Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar was brought to a standstill during Monday’s missile attack. Picture: AP/Hassan Ammar

“This week brought an operational crisis few airlines will ever encounter, and one that challenged the very core of what it means to run a global airline,” he wrote.

“At around 6pm local time (1am AEST) on June 23, an unexpected and unprecedented closure of Qatari airspace forced Qatar Airways to suspend global operations with immediate effect.

“Shortly after, airspace was also closed in Bahrain, the UAE, and Kuwait.”

The Qatari airspace was forced to shut temporarily this week following conflict in the MIddle East.

Al-Meer said Hamad International Airport – one of the world’s busiest and most connected airports – was brought to a standstill.

“Inside Hamad International Airport, over 10,000 passengers were already in transit, expecting to depart when the escalation occurred. They found themselves caught in the middle of one of the most severe and complex operational challenges in modern aviation history,” he said.

About 100 aircraft carrying more than 20,000 passengers into Doha, some of which were approaching the runways, were immediately diverted – 25 into airport across Saudi Arabia, 18 into Turkey, 15 into India, 13 into Oman, and five into the United Arab Emirates.

The remaining aircraft were re-routed to London, Barcelona, and others across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Al-Meer added.

Badr Mohammed al-Meer, CEO of Qatar Airways, said the attack and the consequential emergency operational processes were ‘severe and complex’. Picture: KARIM JAAFAR/AFP

“Around the world, some of our flight crews had timed out of legal operating hours. Most of our fleet, including A380s carrying more than 450 passengers each, were now out of position, some grounded at airports with curfews,” he said.

“Several flights had to wait for clearance to re-enter restricted regional airspace. Aircraft routing plans were rewritten in parallel with passenger itineraries. Over 151 flights were immediately disrupted. Every part of the operation had to adapt in real time — without precedent, and without pause.”

At the time, over 90 Qatar Airways flights carrying more than 20,000 passengers to Doha, were forced to divert immediately. Picture: istock

He said more than 4,600 customers were provided hotel accommodation, using approximately 3,200 rooms across Doha.

“Many of these passengers received onward boarding passes for their rescheduled flights before even leaving the terminal — allowing for a smoother re-entry once our operations resumed.”

He explained teams from across the airline group stepped into transit areas to assist passengers directly, “rebooking journeys, prioritising medical cases, supporting families and elderly travellers”.

He said it also involved manually rebuilding complex travel itineraries, “some involving other airlines, and expired visas”.

Departures from Doha were suspended until midnight on June 24 at the earliest, where by the end of Tuesday, more than 58,000 passengers had departed Doha.

“In the moments that followed, a missile attack was launched from Iran on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar … as missiles entered the skies above Qatar, air defence systems were activated and the State of Qatar’s Armed Forces took swift, decisive action to protect its people, defend its territory, and ensure the safety of everyone within its borders,” Al-Meer said.

“Our routine, seamlessly synchronised global operation was, in an instant, scattered into dozens and dozens of disrupted flight scenarios across continents, each with their own complexities and requirements.”