Restrictions on Qatar planes continue, claim UAE, Bahrain

ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on Wednesday denied reports about opening their airspace to Qatar-registered aircraft.

In a statement, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority clarified that it allowed Qatari aircraft to use only the airspace located above international waters, managed by the UAE, but not the UAE airspace.

Bahrain also denied similar media reports, affirming that Bahrain’s sovereign skies remain closed to all planes owned by or registered in Qatar, the Bahrain News Agency reported.

The Civil Aviation Affairs at the Bahraini Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications said in a statement that all media reports on Bahrain opening its airspace to Qatar Airways are against reality.

The country is enforcing all measures taken in coordination with the Cairo Bureau of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in order to ensure safety of air traffic.

Saudi Arabia is also continuing its boycott of Qatar by preventing Qatari carriers from using the Kingdom’s airports and airspace. — Agencies