Airlines face chaos as Arab nations cut ties with Qatar

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have cut ties with fellow Gulf nation, Qatar, over its apparent terrorist sympathies and support of Islamic groups, which is destabilizing the region. The four countries have made it clear they intend to cease all land, sea and air traffic to and from Qatar, while also expelling all Qatari nationals and diplomats. Qatar has also been expelled from the Saudi-led coalition which is fighting in Yemen.
Qatar Airways, one of the region’s major long-haul carriers, is suspending all flights to Saudi Arabia. Etihad, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, will be ceasing flights to Qatar “until further notice”. Emirates, the Dubai-based carrier, announced it would suspend Qatar flights starting on Tuesday, and Dubai-based budget carrier flydubai said it will suspend flights to and from Doha from Tuesday. Egypt announced its airspace will be closed to all Qatari airplanes from Tuesday. Saudi Arabia has also banned all Qatar flagged vessels from is ports and lorries due to enter Qatar over the Saudi border were barred from doing so.
This is the worst diplomatic crisis in the region since the Gulf Co-operation Council was formed back in 1981. Qatar is being accused of supporting Islamist, sectarian and terrorist movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaida, Islamic State (IS), and also groups which are being supported by Iran in the Saudi Arabian restive province of Qatif. Western officials have also accused Qatar of allowing or even encouraging funding of Sunni extremists, such as al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, once known as the Nusra Front.
Bahrain has backed its decision based on Qatar’s “media incitement, support for armed terrorist activities, and funding linked to Iranian groups to carry out sabotage and spreading chaos in Bahrain.”
Shoppers in the Qatari capital, Doha, have besieged supermarkets amid fears the country, which relies on imports from its neighbours, would face food shortages after Saudi Arabia closed its sole land border – the country imports over 40% of its food, much of which comes from across its border with Saudi Arabia.
Qatar’s foreign affairs ministry said the measures were unjustified and based on false claims and assumptions, accusing its fellow Gulf states of violating its sovereignty.
“The state of Qatar has been subjected to a campaign of lies that have reached the point of complete fabrication,” a statement said. “It reveals a hidden plan to undermine the state of Qatar.”