Other GCC Countries 'blockading' Qatar

[dddd]

2 minutes ago, davidge said:

You may be OK. Meant to be starting in 48 hours.

Supermarket shelves in Qatar already empty as everyone panic-buys.

Never read about the 48 hrs 

[mbamber]

I am getting news from Shipping sites about this some oil exports might be affected, but UAE uses a lot of Gas from Qatar via the dolphin pipeline 2 billion cubic feet a day a lot I believe is for generator plants so if that is shut might cause problems for the UAE but is reported to be operating normally.

[PepeLePew]

So far so good. Only one post removed as yet so just a reminder to keep this discussion focused on the impact of the sanctions and how that affects us, rather than the claimed reasons for those sanctions.

Of course this is a relevant topic for the forum, not my personal favourite but Qatar Air is one of the small group of airlines I tend to fly with, so lets keep this thread open with updates and info relevant to us and not allow it to wander and get closed

Thanks all

[nunchuck]

Flying from Manchester on Monday , do you think there will be any delays ?

just so I can tell meow to come to pick me up a bit later 

thanks 

[davidge]

1 hour ago, nunchuck said:

Flying from Manchester on Monday , do you think there will be any delays ?

just so I can tell meow to come to pick me up a bit later 

thanks 

Honestly too early to tell. All I can suggest is that you check how the flights are going Fri/Sat/Sun to see if there have been problems. I'm sure a few BMs will be looking and, hopefully, posting on here.

[nunchuck]

6 minutes ago, davidge said:

Honestly too early to tell. All I can suggest is that you check how the flights are going Fri/Sat/Sun to see if there have been problems. I'm sure a few BMs will be looking and, hopefully, posting on here.

Sorry forgot to mention flying to Doha , just seen on news only Egypt and Saudi airspace banned 

for Qatar airways ?

[shagwell]

There is a high level meeting in the Saudi capital today or tomorrow between Qatar and Saudi officials about this, I am told it might all blow over in a couple of days (insider information - I work in Saudi). There are other reasons that I can't go into on here why I believe this will be resolved quite soon. I hope so as I am booked on Qatar next trip out - but if not they will have to offer a full ticket refund or reroute on an alternative carrier.

[davidge]

Difficult to see Qatar holding out too long this time. The underlying issues won't go away though. 

 

[Kim Jong Il]

Interesting piece on Zerohedge this morning re airspace access as well as land routes.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-05/qatar-turmoil-fallout-flights-food-football-and-more

 

[davidge]

21 hours ago, mbamber said:

Not sure on the legality of this the the Chicago Agreement from 1944 allows commercial aircraft to fly through foreign airspace.

 

30 minutes ago, Kim Jong Il said:

Interesting piece on Zerohedge this morning re airspace access as well as land routes.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-05/qatar-turmoil-fallout-flights-food-football-and-more

 

The map in the article really shows the possible problems for Qatar:

 

Saudi aren't signatories to the international agreement so can legally ban Qatar from airspace. Bahrain is a signatory so can't legally ban them but can place serious restrictions on Qatar. As Bahrain airspace almost completely surrounds Qatar airspace, this would be a huge problem. 

[mbamber]

Another report showing some of the diversions 

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/qatar-airways-airspace-ban-flights-grounded-diplomatic-row-saudi-arabia-bahrain-egypt-uae-a7774636.html

Also read a report  that Qatar was the largest of the Gulf airlines for flights within the gulf. As far as Egypt is concerned not yet heard if they had banned their citizens from working in Qatar but about 180,000 work in Qatar out of total of 2.7 million people in Qatar with a lot working as Engineers and in health care. 

[davidge]

2 minutes ago, mbamber said:

Another report showing some of the diversions 

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/qatar-airways-airspace-ban-flights-grounded-diplomatic-row-saudi-arabia-bahrain-egypt-uae-a7774636.html

Also read a report  that Qatar was the largest of the Gulf airlines for flights within the gulf. As far as Egypt is concerned not yet heard if they had banned their citizens from working in Qatar but about 180,000 work in Qatar out of total of 2.7 million people in Qatar with a lot working as Engineers and in health care. 

I was about to post that link. Looks as if some re-routing is already happening.

Could well be some delays on BKK flights as Qatar appear to be avoiding UAE airspace already.

 

[davidge]

15 hours ago, dddd said:

Never read about the 48 hrs 

 

4 hours ago, nunchuck said:

Flying from Manchester on Monday , do you think there will be any delays ?

just so I can tell meow to come to pick me up a bit later 

thanks 

Apologies to both of you. It looks as if effects are already being seen.

[mbamber]

13 minutes ago, davidge said:

I was about to post that link. Looks as if some re-routing is already happening.

Could well be some delays on BKK flights as Qatar appear to be avoiding UAE airspace already.

 

Trying to take out the competition could Oman be next ? 

[mbamber]

1 hour ago, davidge said:

 

The map in the article really shows the possible problems for Qatar:

 

Saudi aren't signatories to the international agreement so can legally ban Qatar from airspace. Bahrain is a signatory so can't legally ban them but can place serious restrictions on Qatar. As Bahrain airspace almost completely surrounds Qatar airspace, this would be a huge problem. 

Seems very strange that Bahrain controls airspace around another country that is over 15 times large than it self.

http://www.bahrainaims.com/aismar2014/AIRAC SUP 06_14.pdf

Also just found this some of it I don't understand but the first few paragraphs say it all. Seems to imply that they want rid of Qatar to give the other airlines more space to expand I might be wrong. 

 https://www.icao.int/MID/Documents/2013/arn_tf6/WP09.pdf

[daytripperz]

I'm flying back to heathrow on Sunday with Qatar. I'm hoping worse case scenario is longer flights. I have a 3 hour layover in Doha so hoping to not miss the connecting flight there. I'll post an update once I'm home. Hopefully lol.

[davidge]

Just escalated:

 

 

RIYADH/DUBAI - Saudi Arabia on Tuesday revoked the licences of Qatar Airways and ordered its offices to be closed within 48 hours, a day after banning all Qatari planes from landing at its airports.

The Saudi government's move follows coordinated action on Monday by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to cut links with Qatar, accusing the country of supporting terrorism.

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) also said in a statement any licences granted to Qatar Airways employees would also be withdrawn.

Analysts said the fallout from cancelled flights resulting from Saudi Arabia's action would cost Qatar Airways millions of dollars in lost revenue.

"The revoking of the licence suggests that this spat will be a long and drawn out. You don't revoke licences if you expect a resolution quickly," Saj Ahmad, the UK-based chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, said.

"The real challenge is what Qatar can do to mitigate [the losses], and right now, it doesn't look like it is in a position to do anything."

Saudi Arabia's aviation authority said customers seeking adjustments on tickets to or from Qatar should communicate with the company by phone or through its website.

Dozens of people crowded into the Qatar Airways office in central Riyadh on Tuesday morning, asking for refunds or to be re-booked on flights with other airlines.

"We’re trying to get refunds, but the problem is the logistics. Now if you want to re-book, how are you supposed to deal with the hotel booking, the rental car, the visa?" Ganas al-Ganas, a Saudi national planning a trip to Europe, said.

The suspension of flights comes three weeks before the start of the Eid holiday week, a popular time for travel in the Gulf.

Qatar Airways said on its website it had arranged three chartered Oman Air flights to transport passengers from Jeddah to Muscat on Tuesday. A connecting Qatar Airways flight would then take them onwards to Doha.

The airline also cancelled flights to Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, the day after it had suspended flights to Saudi Arabia.

 

[mbamber]

Al Ruwais a LNG ship carrying Qatari LNG is approaching the Suez canal, the canal authority say the have to allow it passage due to an international agreement the shipping industry is awaiting the result. A number of ships are also due to dock in Egypt, 60% of their Gas imports come from Qatar. Shell has a contract to supply Dubai with 3 loads of LNG a month which they sourced from Qatar they now need to get it from elsewhere.

Maersk have now said they can now longer offer container services to Qatar.

28% of UK imported gas comes from Qatar most through Milford Haven in Wales, overall Qatar has over 30% of the world LNG supply.

This is showing signs of escalating. 

[jorgethepussylover]

Yes this not finish quick. Want regime change or Qatar to bend knee. Not in between this.

 

Big news wait for if Egypt request worker come to home. 

[mbamber]

1 minute ago, jorgethepussylover said:

Yes this not finish quick. Want regime change or Qatar to bend knee. Not in between this.

 

Big news wait for if Egypt request worker come to home. 

Yes 180,000 Egyptians in Qatar, Philippine Government is also worried if the have trouble with food supplies their workers may loose out first 300000 workers at the lower levels.  

[Kim Jong Il]

Makes you wonder how far this will escalate. Will someone drop a couple of big one's in Ras Laffan if the Qatari's don't toe the line. It would take about 10 minutes of action there to completely destroy Qatar's economy, but of course the effects of no LNG  would be felt around the world so don't expect this to happen.

Such a shame in a way. When I worked there for four years under the old boss it was a pretty decent place to work.

[Kim Jong Il]

Another interesting article on Zerohedge explaining why its all about gas rather than anything else.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-06/forget-terrorism-real-reason-behind-qatar-crisis-natural-gas

 

[mbamber]

13 minutes ago, Kim Jong Il said:

Another interesting article on Zerohedge explaining why its all about gas rather than anything else.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-06/forget-terrorism-real-reason-behind-qatar-crisis-natural-gas

 

Good article lets see what happens.

[jorgethepussylover]

23 minutes ago, Kim Jong Il said:

Another interesting article on Zerohedge explaining why its all about gas rather than anything else.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-06/forget-terrorism-real-reason-behind-qatar-crisis-natural-gas

 

I say this all yesterday but my post get the remove?

[davidge]

22 minutes ago, jorgethepussylover said:

I say this all yesterday but my post get the remove?

No politics allowed on the forum

 

 

 

We can can talk about the possible effects on flights and the broad outline of other effects but not about the politics behind it all.

Treading a careful line on this page!