Edinburgh Qatar Airways flight bound for Doha diverts mid-air after US and Israeli attack on Iran

The giant Gulf airline Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to and from Doha due to the “massive operation” confirmed by U.S President Donald Trump earlier on Saturday morning.

Diversions came into place “with immediate effect”, with an Edinburgh flight bound for Doha diverting mid-air after departing the Capital at 7.32am.

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The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was travelling over Frankfurt, Germany at 39,000ft as it turned back to the UK and appears to have landed at Edinburgh Airport, according to a flight tracking website.

Flights from Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin and Heathrow also returned to their points of origin.

In a statement on X, Qatar Airways said: “Qatar Airways Group confirms the temporary suspension of its flights to, and from, Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace.

“The airline is working closely with government stakeholders and the relevant authorities to support impacted passengers and will resume operations when the airspace re-opens. Once usual operations resume, we anticipate delays to our flight schedule.

“We have also deployed additional ground staff at Hamad International Airport and other key airports to assist affected passengers.

“The safety of our passengers and employees is always our highest priority, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Read more: US and Israel launch attack on Iran as Trump warns of ‘massive operation’

The move comes as the Foreign Office updated its travel advice to warn against all travel to Israel and Palestine, and has urged British nationals in other Middle Eastern countries to “immediately shelter in place”.

The announcements follow US-Israeli strikes on Iran in the early hours of Saturday morning and the subsequent retaliatory attacks on American bases in surrounding countries.

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to warn against all travel to Israel and Palestine, and has urged British nationals in other Middle Eastern countries to “immediately shelter in place”.

In a statement on its website, the FCDO said: “Due to the threat posed by escalation in the region, we recommend against all travel to Israel and Palestine.

“On 28 February 2026, the US and Israel commenced joint military action in Iran, Israeli airspace has now closed.”

British nationals in the region are urged to take “sensible precautions”, including following advice from regional authorities, staying away from military facilities and ensuring travel documents are up to date.

The updated advice on the FCDO website also warned British nationals in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait to immediately find shelter in place.

“Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities,” the update read.

Dubai International Airport, which sees 250,000 passengers fly in and out daily, has confirmed it has suspended all operations for the foreseeable.

As a result, Emirates flight EK024 from Edinburgh to Dubai has been cancelled according to the Edinburgh Airport website. It was due to depart the Capital at 20:55.

The main airline at Dubai, Emirates, said: “Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended operations to and from Dubai.

“We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”