Qatar Airways begs for help after flights stop

Mustafa Kamel

Heavy losses have struck the pillars of the Qatari regime’s economy following the outbreak of the novel Covid-19 corona virus pandemic, with the biggest loser being Qatar Airways after many countries are preventing their citizens from leaving and instituting home quarantines to contain the spread of the virus. This has led to a state of stagnation for Qatar Airways, so the company decided to resort to the government to compensate for these losses, in addition to its attempts to accept an offer by the United States for aid worth approximately $58 billion.

Government support

Since the global corona virus pandemic was announced, Doha has endeavored to conceal what is happening inside the country in order to avoid the resounding fall of its economy. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker confirmed that the company would eventually have to seek government support, warning that the company could soon run out of the financial liquidity necessary to operate flights.

Qatar Airways has been adamant to continue its work and conduct flights on a daily basis, announcing the resumption of freight services on large passenger planes to China and elsewhere, as it launches 150 flights per day to more than 70 cities around the world, defying global advice to contain the spread of the virus.

If the airline does not receive government support, then it may have to search for material liquidity without concern for the human losses that may occur from the spread of the virus, Baker stressed, threatening that the company will continue to fly as long as necessary.

“We have requests to transport stranded people to their home countries, provided that the airspace and airports are open,” Baker said. But he warned that the company’s liquidity is running out and will only suffice to continue working for a very short period, confirming that his company will eventually turn to the government for help.

International intervention

Doha has continued to make many concessions in order to accept financial support in any way, especially from the United States, which has military bases in Qatar. Baker confirmed that Qatar Airways has received many requests from governments and embassies around the world asking the airline not to stop flights, while a number of countries have offered to provide assistance to the company, which saw its demand evaporate overnight due to the outbreak of the corona virus. The United States has reportedly offered $58 billion in aid.