AlexanderK

Booked 2 QR award flights for me and my wife en route to MLE in March but if this situation escalates further I’m not sure how safe it would be to be flying over the Persian gulf. Thoughts? I have no status with AA. Possible to get Re booked in another OW carrier?

JJeffrey

About the only thing that might happen is that AA could issue a travel waiver that (for award tickets) would allow a free cancellation and redeposit of miles.

AA cannot force other carriers to open up award space, so for award tickets rebooking on other carriers won't be an option unless award space exists.

erik123

And that would be very unlikely as the US gov is highly unlikely to issue a travel warning for Qatar unless a war breaks out. AA may cancel and refund the miles as a courtesy.

Mwenenzi

Do not over think this (or listen to USA media)
100's of flight ever day will continue to fly in the general area. Airlines will take a different route. Some are doing this now. Flights in that area have routed due to political constraints for a very long time.

What QR does will change over time. If it gets worse AA may refund your ff miles. Awards on other OW airlines will be limited. AA unlikely/would not pay cash to another airline for your flight to MLE

Great Circle Mapper

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velana...tional_Airport

Edit
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-...ondon/11852472
QR Airspace

MSPeconomist

Most resorts near MLE would have very severe cancellation penalties, often required to be paid in cash even for award bookings. Travel insurance is unlikely to help unless one has a "cancel for any reason" policy.

JDiver

At this point, AA might as a courtesy refund your miles without charge, and of course if you can find alternate award inventory between your origin and destination there’s no charge for changes within oneworld.

But Qatar Airways has had to alter routes previously, such as during the recent Saudi Arabia - Qatar kerfuffle. Qatar is pretty used to route alterations. Of course they might choose not to alter routes, depending on their decision, and could continue overflying Iraq or Iran - the FAA directive prohibiting such overflights only applies to US airlines. (A recent LAX-DOH flight of mine shot right down the center of the Caspian Sea, over Tehran and over part of the Gulf.)

Alternative approach and departure paths:

MahiMahi524

I thought the airspace of Saudia Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Yemen are still closed to QR? That would leave them no choice but to continue through Iraqi or Iranian airspace for all westbound routes, unless they want to to go around the whole Arabian Peninsula (and Egypt).

DataPlumber

The bans are still in effect for the Saudi airspace, I am nit sure about the rest.