Finnair has suspended flights to Doha and cancelled all services to Dubai for the rest of the winter season due to the security situation in the Middle East.
The airline said flights to Qatar’s capital will remain suspended until 10 March. All flights to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates have been cancelled until 28 March, marking the end of the current winter timetable.
Finnair announced the decision on Monday and said it is contacting affected passengers directly by text message and email.
The carrier stated that it will not operate through the airspace of Iraq, Iran, Syria or Israel for safety reasons. It said it is monitoring official guidance and reviewing factors that affect its operations.
The suspension follows strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, and Iran’s retaliatory attacks against multiple countries across the region, which have led several airlines to review routes and suspend services.
Finnair said rebooking options remain limited due to a shortage of available flights. “Due to the limited availability of alternative flights, we may not be able to reroute customers who are currently travelling to Doha or Dubai,” the company said in a statement.
Passengers who cannot be rerouted are advised to apply for a refund. Customers who have already begun their journey are asked to contact customer service to arrange return flights.
The airline said it will offer affected passengers a replacement flight where possible. Customers may also change their travel date once without an additional fee or cancel their trip and request a refund.
HT