Qatari planes landed at Istanbul Airport due to closure of airspace

By Gokhan Yilmaz and Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Following Qatar's decision to close its airspace due to hostilities between Iran and Israel, 10 planes belonging to the country's flag carrier Qatar Airways were diverted to Istanbul Airport, where they waited until getting authorization to proceed to Qatar.

The Qatar Airways planes, after the closure of the country's airspace over Iran's airstrikes on a US base in Qatar, arrived at Istanbul Airport Monday night.

Parked in various areas of Istanbul Airport, the aircraft were provided with fuel and catering services.

After the decision to reopen Qatar's airspace, the planes left for the capital Doha.

Qatar shut down its airspace temporarily on Monday evening before Iran launched a barrage of missiles at the US military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

Qatar resumed air traffic and restored its airspace to normal on Monday prompted by regional developments.