Qatar Airways is still flying to the UK from much of the world if you need to get someone home

Whilst virtually all airlines are grounding their flights – including the other two big Middle Eastern airlines, Emirates and Etihad – Qatar Airways is ploughing on.

Qatar Airways is still operating flights on 70+ routes.  It is, at the moment, leading global efforts to get people home.  It is even adding back services that had been cancelled, such as flights from Edinburgh.  Paris and Dublin are seeing extra services added, whilst some London Heathrow flights have been upgraded to an A380.

EDIT:  I have added in Brisbane, which was announced this afternoon.  This is the first time that Qatar Airways has flown from Brisbane.

During the past week, flights TO the UK, France and Germany have been 80% full.  Loads are obviously lighter in the opposite direction, with aircraft leaving the UK, France and Germany just 36% full.

If you’re lucky, you may even be able to get someone home on an Avios redemption.

The full list of airports where Qatar Airways is still flying is here.

As of Thursday lunchtime, Qatar Airways was still running flights to and from:

• London Heathrow
• Manchester
• Birmingham
• Ediburgh

……. to the following destinations, via a change of aircraft in Doha:

Africa

• Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
• Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB)
• Seychelles International Airport (SEZ)
• Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ)

Americas

• Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• Los Angeles International (LAX)
• Miami International Airport (MIA)
• Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
• São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Asia and Pacific

• Angeles City Clark International Airport (CRK)
• Auckland  International Airport (AKL)
• Brisbane Airport (BNE)
• Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)
• Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
• Canberra Airport (CBR)
• Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
• Denpasar International Airport (DPS)
• Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport (HAN)
• Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
• Islamabad International Airport (ISB)
• Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK)
• Krabi International Airport (KBV)
• Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)
• Male International Airport (MLE)
• Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
• Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)
• Perth Airport (PER)
• Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH)
• Phuket International Airport (HKT)
• Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN)
• Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
• Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)
• Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN)
• Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT)
• Yangon International Airport (RGN)

There are another 26 European airports outside the UK which are also still accepting Qatar Airways flights.

For clarity, just because Qatar Airways is still flying to a destination does not mean that you will be allowed entry.  The majority of countries have now blocked entry to non-residents and non-citizens, or are insisting on a quarantine period on arrival.  You cannot even enter Doha, so you must remain in the airport during your stopover.

If you do try to book a flight for someone, do not book a one-way.  It is likely to be hugely expensive as one-way international flights often are.  Check the cost of booking a return flight, even if you do not intend to fly the second leg.

You can see the current list of operating destinations on this page of the Qatar Airways website.