Damascus said it had been informed Iraqi flights to Syria would not resume as planned Saturday after more than seven years, over what it said were "administrative" reasons.

Iraq's national carrier, Iraqi Airways, said Thursday it would resume flights to Damascus for the first time since the Syrian civil war started in 2011.

But the Syrian transport ministry on Saturday said it had been informed of the "decision to postpone the trip of two Iraqi Airways planes today... until further notice."

The flights were postponed to allow for "the completion of some administrative and organisational steps between the company and the Syrian civil aviation" authority, it said in a statement on Facebook.

It posted a photo of an urgent letter sent from the Iraqi embassy in Damascus the same day, informing the foreign ministry both flights had been deferred.

The news comes as Iraq faces rising tensions between the United States and its neighbour Iran, and after the Pentagon deployed a carrier group accompanied by B-52 bombers to the Gulf.

The last flight from Baghdad to Damascus took place in December 2011, according to Iraqi Airways spokesman Layth al-Rubaie.

Most airlines stopped flying to and over Syria after the conflict broke out, with many taking longer routes to circumvent the war zone.

But the conflict has wound down in recent years after major regime advances against rebels and jihadists with Russian military backing since 2015.

Last month, the Syrian government said it had agreed to allow regional aviation giant Qatar Airways to resume flights over the country.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside Syria and abroad since starting in March 2011 with a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations.

Damascus said it had been informed Iraqi flights to Syria would not resume as planned Saturday after more than seven years, over what it said were "administrative" reasons.

Damascus said it had been informed Iraqi flights to Syria would not resume as planned Saturday after more than seven years, over what it said were "administrative" reasons. Iraq's national carrier, Iraqi Airways, said Thursday it would resume flights to Damascus for the first time since the Syrian civil war started in 2011. But the Syrian transport ministry on Saturday said it had been informed of the "decision to postpone the trip of two Iraqi Airways planes today... until further notice." The flights were postponed to allow for "the completion of some administrative and organisational steps between the company and the Syrian civil aviation" authority, it said in a statement on Facebook. It posted a photo of an urgent letter sent from the Iraqi embassy in Damascus the same day, informing the foreign ministry both flights had been deferred. The news comes as Iraq faces rising tensions between the United States and its neighbour Iran, and after the Pentagon deployed a carrier group accompanied by B-52 bombers to the Gulf. The last flight from Baghdad to Damascus took place in December 2011, according to Iraqi Airways spokesman Layth al-Rubaie. Most airlines stopped flying to and over Syria after the conflict broke out, with many taking longer routes to circumvent the war zone. But the conflict has wound down in recent years after major regime advances against rebels and jihadists with Russian military backing since 2015. Last month, the Syrian government said it had agreed to allow regional aviation giant Qatar Airways to resume flights over the country. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside Syria and abroad since starting in March 2011 with a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations.

Return of Iraq-Syria flights postponed: Damascus

Thousands of travellers were left scrambling on Thursday when Thai Airways International cancelled more than a dozen flights to and from Europe after Pakistan closed its airspace amid rising tensions with India.

Flights to and from London, Munich, Paris, Brussels, Milan, Vienna, Stockholm, Zurich, Copenhagen, Oslo, Frankfurt, and Rome had been scheduled to fly over Pakistani airspace on Thursday, Thai Airways said in a statement.

That left passengers scheduled to leave Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport searching to find alternative flights early on Thursday. Most of Thai's European flights leave after midnight.

"Last night there were about 5,000 passengers who came to check-in but unable to fly, mostly Thai Airways," Colonel Umnart Chomshai, superintendent of tourism police at Suvarnabhumi Airport, told Reuters.

Another airport official said a help centre had been set up for stranded travellers.

Thai Airways said later on Thursday it would resume flights after gaining permission from China to use its airspace for nearly a dozen flights to Europe set to leave on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

However, it said all flights to and from Pakistan were cancelled. The airline operates one flight a day to Karachi and Lahore and four flights per week to Islamabad.

Thailand is among the world's most popular tourist destinations, receiving more than 38 million visitors last year.

Pakistan closed its airspace after India and Pakistan both claimed to have shot down the other's fighter jets on Wednesday, with Pakistan capturing an Indian pilot a day after Indian warplanes struck inside Pakistan for the first time since a 1971 war.

World powers have urged restraint between the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours, who have fought three wars over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Many airlines route flights over Pakistan, so the closure of its airspace caused major disruptions on Wednesday.

Several airlines, including Emirates and Qatar Airways, suspended flights to Pakistan and others, such as Singapore Airlines and British Airways, were forced to reroute flights.

On Thursday, Singapore Airlines said all of its Europe-bound flights would now continue as planned, without the need for refuelling stops, and they would reroute to avoid the affected airspace as necessary.

Malaysia Airlines said on its website it was not currently flying over the affected airspace and was avoiding Pakistan and northern Indian airspace for flights to and from Europe until further notice.

Tensions have been running high since at least 40 Indian paramilitary police were killed in a Feb. 14 suicide car bombing claimed by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Thousands of travellers were left scrambling on Thursday when Thai Airways International cancelled more than a dozen flights to and from Europe after Pakistan closed its airspace amid rising tensions with India.

Thousands of travellers were left scrambling on Thursday when Thai Airways International cancelled more than a dozen flights to and from Europe after Pakistan closed its airspace amid rising tensions with India. Flights to and from London, Munich, Paris, Brussels, Milan, Vienna, Stockholm, Zurich, Copenhagen, Oslo, Frankfurt, and Rome had been scheduled to fly over Pakistani airspace on Thursday, Thai Airways said in a statement. That left passengers scheduled to leave Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport searching to find alternative flights early on Thursday. Most of Thai's European flights leave after midnight. "Last night there were about 5,000 passengers who came to check-in but unable to fly, mostly Thai Airways," Colonel Umnart Chomshai, superintendent of tourism police at Suvarnabhumi Airport, told Reuters. Another airport official said a help centre had been set up for stranded travellers. Thai Airways said later on Thursday it would resume flights after gaining permission from China to use its airspace for nearly a dozen flights to Europe set to leave on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. However, it said all flights to and from Pakistan were cancelled. The airline operates one flight a day to Karachi and Lahore and four flights per week to Islamabad. Thailand is among the world's most popular tourist destinations, receiving more than 38 million visitors last year. Pakistan closed its airspace after India and Pakistan both claimed to have shot down the other's fighter jets on Wednesday, with Pakistan capturing an Indian pilot a day after Indian warplanes struck inside Pakistan for the first time since a 1971 war. World powers have urged restraint between the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours, who have fought three wars over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Many airlines route flights over Pakistan, so the closure of its airspace caused major disruptions on Wednesday. Several airlines, including Emirates and Qatar Airways, suspended flights to Pakistan and others, such as Singapore Airlines and British Airways, were forced to reroute flights. On Thursday, Singapore Airlines said all of its Europe-bound flights would now continue as planned, without the need for refuelling stops, and they would reroute to avoid the affected airspace as necessary. Malaysia Airlines said on its website it was not currently flying over the affected airspace and was avoiding Pakistan and northern Indian airspace for flights to and from Europe until further notice. Tensions have been running high since at least 40 Indian paramilitary police were killed in a Feb. 14 suicide car bombing claimed by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Thousands scramble as Thai Airways cancels flights over Pakistan

Qatar Airways flight grounded as water tanker hits plane at Kolkata airport

More than 100 passengers were stranded at Kolkata airport early Thursday after a water tanker hit a Qatar Airways aircraft, which was preparing to take off for Doha.

Around 2.30am, when passengers were boarding the plane, a water tanker hit the belly of the Doha-bound flight, near the landing gear, an official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

The plane was immediately grounded for inspection and the passengers were safely deboarded, he said.

No one was hurt in the accident, the official noted.

"All 103 passengers of the flight have been provided accommodation at a nearby hotel. They will be taking the 3am flight to Doha tomorrow (Friday)," he said.

Initial inspection suggests that the water tanker had technical issues, the brake wasn't functioning properly, the AAI official added.

Meanwhile, a source in the DGCA said an inquiry has been initiated into the incident.

"We will take corrective measures based on the inquiry report," he said.

More than 100 passengers were stranded at Kolkata airport early Thursday after a water tanker hit a Qatar Airways aircraft, which was preparing to take off for Doha.

More than 100 passengers were stranded at Kolkata airport early Thursday after a water tanker hit a Qatar Airways aircraft, which was preparing to take off for Doha. Around 2.30am, when passengers were boarding the plane, a water tanker hit the belly of the Doha-bound flight, near the landing gear, an official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said. The plane was immediately grounded for inspection and the passengers were safely deboarded, he said. No one was hurt in the accident, the official noted. "All 103 passengers of the flight have been provided accommodation at a nearby hotel. They will be taking the 3am flight to Doha tomorrow (Friday)," he said. Initial inspection suggests that the water tanker had technical issues, the brake wasn't functioning properly, the AAI official added. Meanwhile, a source in the DGCA said an inquiry has been initiated into the incident. "We will take corrective measures based on the inquiry report," he said.

Water tanker hits Qatar Airways flight in Kolkata airport, none hurt

Qatar Airways will “soon” move an application to launch a full-service airline in India for domestic operations, according to its chief Akbar Al Baker.

He said the proposed airline would be fully financed by Qatar's sovereign fund. It would have Indians heading the board and as most of its members.

Baker, who has been Qatar Airways' Group Chief Executive for over two decades, was elected as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Tuesday.

"We will move the application soon. I don't know really by when because it (the process) takes time,” he told PTI on the sidelines of the IATA Annual General Meeting here when asked by when the application for a licence would be moved.

Noting that the process is on track, he said the proposed carrier in India would be a full-service one and the investment would be done from the sovereign fund of Qatar's official investment arm.

Qatar Investment Authority manages the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar. It was set up in 2005 to manage the oil and natural gas surpluses and its assets under management are estimated at USD 335 billion, a lot of which have been invested overseas for a variety of purposes.

It was in March 2017 that Baker first mentioned about its plans for a carrier in India.

In February this year, he had said it plans to launch an airline in India with at least 100 planes.

"I will not tell you what types of aeroplanes we will deploy in India but as you may remember we said that we will launch an airline in India which will have a fleet of at least 100 aircraft," he had said.

Last December, the airline had said it would like to add more flights to India in the future as the country is an economic superpower and an important destination for it.

India has permitted foreign investors, barring foreign airlines, from owning up to 100 per cent stake in local carriers. While a foreign airline can hold up to 49 per cent stake, foreign investment arms can own the remaining part.

Currently, there are three full-service carriers in India -- Air India, Jet Airways and Vistara Airlines.

Al Baker became Qatar Airways' Group Chief Executive in 1997.

Qatar Airways operates more than 200 aircraft and flies to over 150 destinations across six continents, as per the airline's website.

Baker, who has been Qatar Airways' Group Chief Executive for over two decades, was elected as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Tuesday.

Qatar Airways will “soon” move an application to launch a full-service airline in India for domestic operations, according to its chief Akbar Al Baker. He said the proposed airline would be fully financed by Qatar's sovereign fund. It would have Indians heading the board and as most of its members. Baker, who has been Qatar Airways' Group Chief Executive for over two decades, was elected as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Tuesday. "We will move the application soon. I don't know really by when because it (the process) takes time,” he told PTI on the sidelines of the IATA Annual General Meeting here when asked by when the application for a licence would be moved. Noting that the process is on track, he said the proposed carrier in India would be a full-service one and the investment would be done from the sovereign fund of Qatar's official investment arm. Qatar Investment Authority manages the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar. It was set up in 2005 to manage the oil and natural gas surpluses and its assets under management are estimated at USD 335 billion, a lot of which have been invested overseas for a variety of purposes. It was in March 2017 that Baker first mentioned about its plans for a carrier in India. In February this year, he had said it plans to launch an airline in India with at least 100 planes. "I will not tell you what types of aeroplanes we will deploy in India but as you may remember we said that we will launch an airline in India which will have a fleet of at least 100 aircraft," he had said. Last December, the airline had said it would like to add more flights to India in the future as the country is an economic superpower and an important destination for it. India has permitted foreign investors, barring foreign airlines, from owning up to 100 per cent stake in local carriers. While a foreign airline can hold up to 49 per cent stake, foreign investment arms can own the remaining part. Currently, there are three full-service carriers in India -- Air India, Jet Airways and Vistara Airlines. Al Baker became Qatar Airways' Group Chief Executive in 1997. Qatar Airways operates more than 200 aircraft and flies to over 150 destinations across six continents, as per the airline's website.

Qatar Airways will soon apply to launch airline in India: CEO

Qatar&#39;s foreign minister says Kuwait is trying to mediate and solve a diplomatic crisis that has seen Arab nations cut off diplomatic ties.

The minister said early today that Kuwait&#39;s ruler had asked Qatar&#39;s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to hold off on giving a speech about the crisis.

Foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also told Doha-based satellite news network Al-Jazeera that his nation rejected those &quot;trying to impose their will on Qatar or intervene in its internal affairs.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-bahrain-egypt-uae-cut-diplomatic-ties-with-qatar-16432">Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, UAE cut diplomatic ties with Qatar</a> on Monday and ordered their land, sea and airports closed to Qatari aircraft and vessels.

It&#39;s the worst diplomatic crisis to strike the region since the 1991 Gulf War.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-backs-saudi-arabia-cuts-diplomatic-ties-with-qatar-16468">Maldives backs Saudi Arabia, cuts diplomatic ties with Qatar</a>

(PTI)

Qatar's foreign minister said that Kuwait's ruler had asked Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to hold off on giving a speech about the crisis

Qatar's foreign minister says Kuwait is trying to mediate and solve a diplomatic crisis that has seen Arab nations cut off diplomatic ties. The minister said early today that Kuwait's ruler had asked Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to hold off on giving a speech about the crisis. Foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also told Doha-based satellite news network Al-Jazeera that his nation rejected those "trying to impose their will on Qatar or intervene in its internal affairs." Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, UAE cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday and ordered their land, sea and airports closed to Qatari aircraft and vessels. It's the worst diplomatic crisis to strike the region since the 1991 Gulf War. Also Read: Maldives backs Saudi Arabia, cuts diplomatic ties with Qatar (PTI)

Kuwait trying to mediate, solve diplomatic rift: Qatar

Abu Dhabi&#39;s Etihad Airways said on Monday it would suspend flights to Qatar after the United Arab Emirates was among major Gulf states to sever ties with Doha in an unprecedented regional crisis.

Etihad said flights would stop on Tuesday, after the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain said they would cut all air, land and sea links with Qatar within 24 hours.

Etihad, which operates four return flights to Doha daily, said the measure will be in place &quot;until further notice&quot;.

Qatar Airways also announced&nbsp;that it has suspended all flights to Saudi Arabia with immediate affect.

&quot;Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia&quot; until 1159 GMT the same day, a statement from the Doha-based carrier said.

A spokeswoman added that it was unclear if the suspension would be extended.

Other carriers from the three Gulf countries, including Dubai&#39;s Emirates, are likely to announce similar measures.

The unprecedented measures against Doha include ordering Qatari citizens to leave within 14 days and banning citizens of the three Gulf states from travelling to Qatar.

Doha airport, along with airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have become major hubs after Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways seized a significant chunk of transcontinental travel on routes linking Western countries with Asia and Australasia.&nbsp;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways said it would suspend flights to Qatar, while Qatar Airways has temporarily stopped its flights heading to Saudi Arabia

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways said on Monday it would suspend flights to Qatar after the United Arab Emirates was among major Gulf states to sever ties with Doha in an unprecedented regional crisis. Etihad said flights would stop on Tuesday, after the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain said they would cut all air, land and sea links with Qatar within 24 hours. Etihad, which operates four return flights to Doha daily, said the measure will be in place "until further notice". Qatar Airways also announced that it has suspended all flights to Saudi Arabia with immediate affect. "Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" until 1159 GMT the same day, a statement from the Doha-based carrier said. A spokeswoman added that it was unclear if the suspension would be extended. Other carriers from the three Gulf countries, including Dubai's Emirates, are likely to announce similar measures. The unprecedented measures against Doha include ordering Qatari citizens to leave within 14 days and banning citizens of the three Gulf states from travelling to Qatar. Doha airport, along with airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have become major hubs after Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways seized a significant chunk of transcontinental travel on routes linking Western countries with Asia and Australasia. (AFP)

Etihad, Qatar Airways suspend flight ops to deepen regional ban rift

Qatar Airways has published on its the website stating that nationals from Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Yemen may travel to the US only if they are in possession of a permanent resident card (Green card) or a diplomatic visa. The move by Qatar Airways comes after President Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Friday to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travellers from the seven countries.

The documents required from travellers include:

A1 &amp; A2 (Government Officials and immediate family) 
C2 (Travel to UN) 
G1 &amp; G2 (Representative &amp; employees of international organisations) 
G3 &amp; G4 (Representatives to and employees of international organisations) 
NATO

The airline, which flies to at least 15 American cities, also posted a &quot;travel alert&quot; online on Saturday, listing the paperwork required by citizens of the seven countries.&nbsp;

Qatar Airways said on Saturday it would &quot;enforce&quot; the new rules governing entry to the United States following President Donald Trump&#39;s temporary order restricting arrivals from seven Muslim countries, AFP reported. 
&nbsp; 
A spokesperson for the Gulf carrier said it would only carry passengers to the US who had the correct documentation.&nbsp;

&quot;We are enforcing the new rules,&quot; said the official. &quot;If travellers to the US don&#39;t have the proper documentation, we are not going to take them to the US,&quot; the airways added.

Qatar Airways destinations in the US include New York, Atlanta and Chicago.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Update on entry requirements to the United States. Please visit <a href="https://t.co/PVfW0x7kvH">https://t.co/PVfW0x7kvH</a>
&mdash; Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) <a href="https://twitter.com/qatarairways/status/825308637883166720">January 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Meanwhile, five Iraqi passengers and one Yemeni were barred from boarding an Egypt Air flight from Cairo to New York on Saturday after President Donald Trump halted the entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, sources told Reuters at Cairo airport.

The passengers, arriving in transit to Cairo airport, were stopped and redirected to flights headed to their home countries despite holding valid visas, the sources said.

Trump on Friday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travellers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks.

He said his most sweeping use of his presidential powers since taking office a week ago, barring travellers from the seven nations for at least 90 days, would give his administration time to develop more stringent screening procedures for refugees, immigrants and visitors.

&quot;I&#39;m establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America. Don&#39;t want them here,&quot; Trump said earlier at the Pentagon. &quot;We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people,&quot; he said.

The bans, though temporary, took effect immediately, causing havoc and confusion for would-be travellers with passports from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Besides Cairo, it was not immediately clear whether other airports of countries listed by Trump had swiftly implemented the ban. Arab officials of the listed countries would not comment on the matter.

The order seeks to prioritise refugees fleeing religious persecution, a move Trump separately said was aimed at helping Christians in Syria. That led some legal experts to question whether the order was constitutional. One group said it would announce a court challenge on Monday. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said the order targets Muslims because of their faith, contravening the US Constitutional right to freedom of religion.

&quot;President Trump has cloaked what is a discriminatory ban against nationals of Muslim countries under the banner of national security,&quot; Greg Chen of the American Immigration Lawyers Association told Reuters.

The newly inaugurated US president signed a sweeping executive order on Friday to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travellers from the seven countries.

Trump has long pledged to take this kind of action, making it a prominent feature of his campaign for the November&nbsp;8 election. But people who work with Muslim immigrants and refugees were scrambling to determine the scope of the order.

Even legal permanent residents - people with &quot;green cards&quot; allowing them to live and work in the United States - were being advised to consult immigration lawyers before travelling outside the country, or trying to return, according to Muslim Advocates, a civil rights group in Washington.

On Friday evening, Abed Ayoub of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee said he had fielded about 100 queries from people anxious about the order, which he said he believed could affect travelling green card holders, students, people coming to the United States for medical care and others.

&quot;It&#39;s chaos,&quot; Ayoub told Reuters.

During his campaign, Trump tapped into American fears about Islamic State militants and the flood of migrants into Europe from Syria&#39;s civil war, saying refugees could be a &quot;Trojan horse&quot; that allowed attackers to enter the United States. In December 2015, he called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States, drawing fire for suggesting a religious test for immigrants that critics said would violate the U.S. Constitution.

His idea later evolved into a proposal for &quot;extreme vetting.&quot; Trump&#39;s order also suspends the Syrian refugee program until further notice, and will eventually give priority to minority religious groups fleeing persecution. Trump said in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network that the exception would help Syrian Christians fleeing the civil war there.

Legal experts were divided on whether this order would be constitutional. &quot;If they are thinking about an exception for Christians, in almost any other legal context discriminating in favour of one religion and against another religion could violate the constitution,&quot; said Stephen Legomsky, a former chief counsel at US&nbsp;Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Obama administration.

Democrats were quick to condemn Trump&#39;s order as un-American, saying it would tarnish the reputation of the United States as a land that welcomes immigrants. &quot;Today&#39;s executive order from President Trump is more about extreme xenophobia than extreme vetting,&quot; said Democratic Senator Edward Markey in a statement.

Some Republicans praised the move. Representative Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, said Islamic State has threatened to use the US immigration system, making it important to do more screening.

&quot;I am pleased that President Trump is using the tools granted to him by Congress and the power granted by the Constitution to help keep America safe and ensure we know who is entering the United States,&quot; Goodlatte said in a statement.

Without naming Trump, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday it was no time to build walls between nations and criticised steps towards cancelling world trade agreements. Trump had ordered the construction of a US-Mexican border wall, a major promise during his election campaign, as part of a package of measures to curb illegal immigration.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Qatar Airways said that nationals from Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Yemen may travel to the US with a resident card only.

Qatar Airways has published on its the website stating that nationals from Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Yemen may travel to the US only if they are in possession of a permanent resident card (Green card) or a diplomatic visa. The move by Qatar Airways comes after President Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Friday to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travellers from the seven countries. The documents required from travellers include: A1 & A2 (Government Officials and immediate family) C2 (Travel to UN) G1 & G2 (Representative & employees of international organisations) G3 & G4 (Representatives to and employees of international organisations) NATO The airline, which flies to at least 15 American cities, also posted a "travel alert" online on Saturday, listing the paperwork required by citizens of the seven countries. Qatar Airways said on Saturday it would "enforce" the new rules governing entry to the United States following President Donald Trump's temporary order restricting arrivals from seven Muslim countries, AFP reported. A spokesperson for the Gulf carrier said it would only carry passengers to the US who had the correct documentation. "We are enforcing the new rules," said the official. "If travellers to the US don't have the proper documentation, we are not going to take them to the US," the airways added. Qatar Airways destinations in the US include New York, Atlanta and Chicago. Update on entry requirements to the United States. Please visit https://t.co/PVfW0x7kvH — Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) January 28, 2017 × Meanwhile, five Iraqi passengers and one Yemeni were barred from boarding an Egypt Air flight from Cairo to New York on Saturday after President Donald Trump halted the entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, sources told Reuters at Cairo airport. The passengers, arriving in transit to Cairo airport, were stopped and redirected to flights headed to their home countries despite holding valid visas, the sources said. Trump on Friday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travellers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks. He said his most sweeping use of his presidential powers since taking office a week ago, barring travellers from the seven nations for at least 90 days, would give his administration time to develop more stringent screening procedures for refugees, immigrants and visitors. "I'm establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America. Don't want them here," Trump said earlier at the Pentagon. "We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people," he said. The bans, though temporary, took effect immediately, causing havoc and confusion for would-be travellers with passports from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Besides Cairo, it was not immediately clear whether other airports of countries listed by Trump had swiftly implemented the ban. Arab officials of the listed countries would not comment on the matter. The order seeks to prioritise refugees fleeing religious persecution, a move Trump separately said was aimed at helping Christians in Syria. That led some legal experts to question whether the order was constitutional. One group said it would announce a court challenge on Monday. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said the order targets Muslims because of their faith, contravening the US Constitutional right to freedom of religion. "President Trump has cloaked what is a discriminatory ban against nationals of Muslim countries under the banner of national security," Greg Chen of the American Immigration Lawyers Association told Reuters. The newly inaugurated US president signed a sweeping executive order on Friday to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travellers from the seven countries. Trump has long pledged to take this kind of action, making it a prominent feature of his campaign for the November 8 election. But people who work with Muslim immigrants and refugees were scrambling to determine the scope of the order. Even legal permanent residents - people with "green cards" allowing them to live and work in the United States - were being advised to consult immigration lawyers before travelling outside the country, or trying to return, according to Muslim Advocates, a civil rights group in Washington. On Friday evening, Abed Ayoub of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee said he had fielded about 100 queries from people anxious about the order, which he said he believed could affect travelling green card holders, students, people coming to the United States for medical care and others. "It's chaos," Ayoub told Reuters. During his campaign, Trump tapped into American fears about Islamic State militants and the flood of migrants into Europe from Syria's civil war, saying refugees could be a "Trojan horse" that allowed attackers to enter the United States. In December 2015, he called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States, drawing fire for suggesting a religious test for immigrants that critics said would violate the U.S. Constitution. His idea later evolved into a proposal for "extreme vetting." Trump's order also suspends the Syrian refugee program until further notice, and will eventually give priority to minority religious groups fleeing persecution. Trump said in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network that the exception would help Syrian Christians fleeing the civil war there. Legal experts were divided on whether this order would be constitutional. "If they are thinking about an exception for Christians, in almost any other legal context discriminating in favour of one religion and against another religion could violate the constitution," said Stephen Legomsky, a former chief counsel at US Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Obama administration. Democrats were quick to condemn Trump's order as un-American, saying it would tarnish the reputation of the United States as a land that welcomes immigrants. "Today's executive order from President Trump is more about extreme xenophobia than extreme vetting," said Democratic Senator Edward Markey in a statement. Some Republicans praised the move. Representative Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, said Islamic State has threatened to use the US immigration system, making it important to do more screening. "I am pleased that President Trump is using the tools granted to him by Congress and the power granted by the Constitution to help keep America safe and ensure we know who is entering the United States," Goodlatte said in a statement. Without naming Trump, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday it was no time to build walls between nations and criticised steps towards cancelling world trade agreements. Trump had ordered the construction of a US-Mexican border wall, a major promise during his election campaign, as part of a package of measures to curb illegal immigration. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Trump's immigration ban: Qatar Airways issues travel advisory for US-bound travellers

A Qatar Airways passenger plane made an emergency landing at Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk Airport Thursday after a bird strike on one of its engines, the Gulf carrier said. 
 
All 312 passengers and crew were evacuated safely, Qatar Airways said. 
 
&quot;Qatar Airways can confirm that QR240 from Istanbul to Doha experienced a bird strike, which resulted in its safe return to Istanbul,&quot; the airline said in a statement. 
 
&quot;All 298 passengers and 14 crew disembarked normally,&quot; it added. 
 
A replacement plane was sent from Doha to Istanbul and had landed in Turkey, airline officials added. 
 
&quot;Customer needs, including onward travel, will be taken care of by the airline,&quot; the statement said. 
 
&quot;The pilot followed all safety procedures.&quot; 
 
Aviation officials said the bird strike had caused a fire in one of the engines. 
 
Media reports in Turkey -- and flight tracking websites -- said the plane involved was an Airbus A330. 
 
Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu said that the aircraft encountered difficulties after take-off and had a problem with its left engine. 
 
The pilot of the plane communicated with the tower, seeking permission to return to Istanbul airport, Anadolu added. 
 
A spokesman for Airbus told AFP that such incidents were &quot;rare&quot; but they had not as yet been informed officially by Qatar Airways that the plane involved was an A330. 
 
Qatar Airways said it operates two flights daily from Ataturk Airport to Doha. 
 
The airline is one of the biggest carriers in the Middle East and has a fleet of more than 180 aircraft.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

All 312 passengers and crew were evacuated safely, Qatar Airways said

A Qatar Airways passenger plane made an emergency landing at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport Thursday after a bird strike on one of its engines, the Gulf carrier said. All 312 passengers and crew were evacuated safely, Qatar Airways said. "Qatar Airways can confirm that QR240 from Istanbul to Doha experienced a bird strike, which resulted in its safe return to Istanbul," the airline said in a statement. "All 298 passengers and 14 crew disembarked normally," it added. A replacement plane was sent from Doha to Istanbul and had landed in Turkey, airline officials added. "Customer needs, including onward travel, will be taken care of by the airline," the statement said. "The pilot followed all safety procedures." Aviation officials said the bird strike had caused a fire in one of the engines. Media reports in Turkey -- and flight tracking websites -- said the plane involved was an Airbus A330. Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu said that the aircraft encountered difficulties after take-off and had a problem with its left engine. The pilot of the plane communicated with the tower, seeking permission to return to Istanbul airport, Anadolu added. A spokesman for Airbus told AFP that such incidents were "rare" but they had not as yet been informed officially by Qatar Airways that the plane involved was an A330. Qatar Airways said it operates two flights daily from Ataturk Airport to Doha. The airline is one of the biggest carriers in the Middle East and has a fleet of more than 180 aircraft. (AFP)

Bird strike forces Qatar Airways jet into making emergency landing

qatar-airways

Qatar Airways, News on Qatar Airways, stories on Qatar Airways, articles on Qatar Airways, Qatar Airways stories at Wion, Qatar Airways news, Qatar Airways latest news

qatar airways