Gulf crisis reveals shambles of airline passenger rights

Simon Calder wants answers after the aviation shutdown

- 

Albert Park in Melbourne is normally a tranquil location, except for one weekend a year: this coming weekend, ear defenders are recommended as the F1 Grand Prix reverberates around the southernmost big city in the world.

This year, the Formula One Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix 2026 as it is officially known - will be unusual. The teams and the fans will not be able to reach the festival of motorsport in Melbourne on the flights of the main sponsor.

Qatar Airways has planes parked up at airports around the world. “Aircraft on ground” (AOGs) in Australia include an A380 parked up next to a trio of Emirates SuperJumbos at Sydney, and a Boeing 787 in the capital, Canberra. While the chaos in the Gulf is unfolding, these planes are paralysed - along with the plans, hopes and dreams of the passengers who were expecting to fly on them.

Since the airspace of Qatar and much of the rest of the region closed down over the weekend, I have tried to advise as many passengers as possible about their rights.

For the thousands who are booked each day to fly from UK airports to the Qatari capital, Doha, and connect straight to a destination in Asia, Australasia or Africa, the advice is simple. The airline is obliged to find an alternative way to get you to your destination as close to the original timings as possible.