Airlines, destinations, and governments launch plans to assist travelers in the Middle East
In the case of the Emirate of Qatar, Visit Qatar has activated a National Emergency Hospitality Support Strategy to assist travelers whose flights have been delayed due to the current airspace disruptions. Under this initiative, affected visitors have their accommodation in Qatar extended, fully covered by Qatar Tourism or at no additional cost to them, until they can safely continue their journey to their final destinations.
In addition, a visa extension has been put in place, meaning that the authorities are facilitating the extension of visas for those visitors who require it, avoiding any penalties for overstaying while air operations return to normal.
Meanwhile, in Qatar, there has been a mobilization of the hotel sector. Hotels and tourism partners in this country are offering comprehensive assistance to travelers, ensuring that quality and service standards are maintained at all times. All queries and potential problems are being handled by information hotlines set up for this emergency.p>
In the case of Emirates, the Dubai-based airline is operating a reduced flight schedule to ensure the safety of both passengers and crew. In fact, it has asked travelers not to show up at airport terminals unless they have a confirmed and valid reservation.
In an attempt to mitigate problems at the airport, it has established strict filters for connecting passengers. Transit customers will only be accepted for travel if their connecting flight is operational. In addition, all check-in points in the city will remain temporarily closed, centralizing operations exclusively at the airport under emergency protocols.
An unstable world
In this context, and due to various armed conflicts, not only in Iran, up to 30 countries and territories have travel restrictions in place, ranging from a total ban on travel to recommendations to travel only in essential cases.
Some destinations are considered high risk and it is recommended to avoid any type of travel: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
In other countries, the ban is not absolute, but travel is not recommended: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.
In more distant countries, it is also not recommended: Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
With regard to tourist destinations, flights to countries such as Cyprus, Turkey, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka are being canceled. Extreme caution is advised in these countries.
Recommendations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
At the same time, the Spanish ministry has issued a series of basic instructions to ensure safety in the event of being caught up in the conflict:
Find a safe shelter: Stay in a closed and protected place, away from windows. If you are staying in a hotel, follow the instructions of the management and security personnel at all times.
Limit your movements: Avoid unnecessary travel, especially in the vicinity of military bases, government buildings, or critical infrastructure.
Identification and documentation: Always carry your passport and important documents with you, and make sure you have digital copies stored in the cloud or sent to your email so you can access them in case of loss.
Keep basic supplies: Stock up on water, non-perishable food, medicine, flashlights, and enough batteries in case of interruptions to essential services such as electricity or water supply.