Blockades on Qatar Airways

Aviation sector is a fighting area of diplomacy. As you know, powerful countries such as US, Canada or Europe Union can conduct this process in order to give up implementations of opponents. For example, US is also enforcing embargoes against Iran. As a result, Iran civil aviation industry suffers from fleet and flight constrains. Let’s look at Middle East geography, Arabian countries were keeping embargoes against Israel to block fly throughout their airspaces till Abraham Accords, but now scenario is same but characters are different.

When Did Embargoes Start?

Although Qatar crisis dates back to 2014, the biggest crisis broken out in 2017. Four Arabian countries Bahrain, Egypt, and UAE, with Saudi Arabia leadership, offered 13 demands, but there is no any provision. The group declared the embargo including blockages to ban their airspaces, seas, and lands against Qatar on 5 June 2017. The most critical losses on Qatar Airways due to the airspace ban and the flight network. Qatar was blamed for relationship with Iran and terrorist groups, Muslim Brothers, and inappropriate broadcasts of Al Jazeera TV. The coalition cancelled not only flights from and to Qatar but also their diplomatic and trade connections.

Effects for Qatar Airways

One of the first reaction from Qatar side is to do same action as cut all relationships and then 18 flights to destinations where in totally four Arabian countries were removed. Hostile forces flights are made up of approximately 20 % of networks of the airline. $100 million was paid per year to Iran for flying throughout its airspace. Due to longer routes, and the decreasing in passenger numbers, costs increased; consequently, the airline announced $639 million loss in 2018, and the losses rose in next years.

Is The Blockade Lawful?

The carrier applied to the court for behaviours of the opponents in July, 2020. Qatar Airways CEO called ICAO of duty but four countries have gone to ICJ (International Court of Justice). However, ICJ has decided ICAO is the correct jurisdiction. According to Open Sky Agreement by ICAO, the embargo group does not have such a right. Now, the airline is seeking $5 billion compensation for their unlawful actions.

In short, before the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) summit in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait foreign minister announced that embargoes between Saudi Arabia and Qatar was lifted in 4 Jan, 2021. Afterwards, other countries declared blockades were removed. Additionally, the flight QR1365 from Doha to Johannesburg is the first flight using Saudi airspace.