Qatar joins UAE in funding extended stays for hotel guests

Qatar Tourism has joined the UAE in saying it will cover the cost of extended hotel stays and meals for guests stranded in the country following the closure of regional airspace. The Gulf state, a key transit hub connecting Europe and Asia, is currently accommodating around 8,000 passengers in transit after the start of US-Israeli attacks on Iran on 28 February. 

 

In a circular issued to hotel managers on 2 March, Qatar Tourism requested hotels to extend stays for guests unable to depart until airport operations resume. The authority confirmed it will “cover the additional costs incurred, as the safety, security and wellbeing of all visitors remain among our highest priorities”. 

 

The decision follows similar measures introduced earlier by the UAE, where more than 20,200 passengers have been affected by flight cancellations and scheduling changes. On 1 March, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said the state would bear “all hosting and accommodation costs for affected and stranded passengers”. 

 

Tourism authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have since issued directives instructing hotels to accommodate travellers unable to leave. Abu Dhabi Tourism asked hoteliers to submit invoices directly to the department for processing, confirming that the “cost of the extended stay will be covered by DCT Abu Dhabi.”

 

Meanwhile, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) contacted hotels to “support affected guests by facilitating extensions to stays under existing booking conditions". 

 

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Flight cancellations across the region

In Qatar, all flight operations at Hamad International Airport remain suspended, with passengers advised not to travel to the airport. Qatar Airways said it would provide a further update on 4 March by 09:00 Doha time.

 

Travellers with confirmed bookings between 28 February and 10 March 2026 are eligible for a complimentary date change within 14 days of their original travel date or a refund for the unused portion of their ticket.

 

In the UAE, commercial flights also remain suspended. Authorities have begun operating “exceptional flights” to assist stranded passengers as part of a phased evacuation schedule designed to repatriate more than 44,000 travellers via national carriers. Sixty flights carrying 17,498 passengers are currently underway, with 80 additional daily flights planned in the coming phase to transport over 27,000 more passengers.

 

Airlines including Emirates and Etihad Airways are contacting customers directly with updated travel details. Passengers who have not been contacted are advised to remain at home and avoid travelling to the airport. Etihad Airways has suspended commercial operations to and from Abu Dhabi until 2pm local time (12pm CET) on 5 March, while Emirates has extended its suspension until 11:59pm (9:59pm CET) on 4 March.

 

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