Dubai, Jun 5 (Agencies): Following the announcement from Saudi, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt to sever ties with Qatar and close its airspace, airline carriers from Dubai and Abu Dhabi have announced their plans to suspend all flights to and from Doha starting Tuesday.
Dubai-based carrier Emirates said it will suspend all flights to and from Doha from Tuesday morning until further notice, joining UAE-based Etihad Airways in a similar move amid a diplomatic spat between Qatar and some of its Gulf neigbhours.
Emirates said the last flight from Dubai to Doha will depart at 2:30 am on Tuesday, while the last flight from Doha to Dubai will depart at 3:50 am.
"All customers booked on Emirates' flights to and from Doha will be provided with alternative options, including full refunds on unused tickets and free rebooking to the nearest alternate Emirates destinations," the airline said in an email.
Dubai-based budget carrier flydubai also announced on Monday that it would suspend flights to and from Doha from Tuesday after the United Arab Emirates severed ties with Qatar.
"From Tuesday 06 June 2017 all flydubai flights between Dubai and Doha will be suspended," the statement on Monday said.
Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways, which operates four return flights to Doha daily, said the flight suspension will be in place "until further notice".
Other carriers from the three Gulf countries are likely to announce similar measures.
The unprecedented measures against Doha include ordering Qatari citizens to leave within 14 days and banning citizens of the three Gulf states from travelling to Qatar.
Doha airport, along with airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have become major hubs after Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways seized a significant chunk of transcontinental travel on routes linking Western countries with Asia and Australasia.