Under the flight schedule for March 4, Qatar Airways cancelled services QR983, QR977 and QR8951. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Qatar Airways has continued to cancel passenger and cargo flights between Việt Nam and the Middle East as military tensions in the region remain unresolved.

Under the flight schedule for March 4, the airline cancelled services QR983, QR977 and QR8951.

Turkish Airlines operated flight TK252/TK253 on the Hà Nội (HAN) – Istanbul (IST) route as normal the same day.

For March 5, Emirates said it was updating information regarding flight EK395, while Etihad Airways announced the cancellation of flight EY433.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam reported that Qatar Airways had cancelled 13 flights to and from Việt Nam between March 3 and 1pm on March 5, including eight flights at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport and five at Nội Bài International Airport. The disruptions affected 2,565 passengers.

The airline said it would waive change fees for departure date adjustments within 14 days of the original departure date or offer refunds for the unused portion of tickets, in line with regulations. The policy applies to passengers holding tickets for travel between February 28 and March 10.

At Nội Bài International Airport, 33 aircraft are currently parked for extended periods, including one from Emirates and two from Qatar Airways. On March 3 alone, 16 flights were cancelled, affecting about 3,800 passengers.

The Ministry of Construction said the conflict in the Middle East remains complex and continues to severely disrupt international aviation operations – particularly flights to, from and over conflict zones or restricted airspace.

The ministry has instructed airlines to closely monitor updates from state management agencies, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and relevant foreign aviation authorities when assessing flight operations.

Carriers were also urged to strengthen safety oversight, proactively adjust flight schedules and consider alternative routes to ensure absolute safety for aircraft, crew and passengers, while fully informing travellers of any changes caused by security and safety concerns. — VNS