March 12, 2026 — Qatar Airways has 13 passenger planes stranded at major US airports, including Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s, due to the ongoing closure of Qatari airspace amid Middle East tensions stemming from US-Iran conflict escalations. The aircraft have been grounded since arriving on February 28 at hubs such as JFK (three planes), DFW (two), MIA (two), ORD (one), IAH (one), LAX (one), SFO (one), SEA (one), and IAD (one).
Operations from Doha remain suspended until the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirms the airspace is safe to reopen, according to the airline’s travel alerts page. This stranding affects repatriation efforts and keeps the jets idle across North America.
Aircraft Locations and Types
The 13 passenger planes are positioned at key gateways: John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York hosts three, Dallas Fort Worth International has two, and Miami International has two. Single aircraft are reported at Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Houston Intercontinental (IAH), Los Angeles International (LAX), San Francisco International (SFO), Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), and Washington Dulles International (IAD).
Broader Regional Impact
An earlier report indicated 33 Middle Eastern jets from carriers including Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways were stranded at 13 North American airports as of March 1, highlighting the scale of disruptions from the airspace closures.
Reuters noted thousands of global flights canceled and passengers stranded starting March 1, with Gulf carriers like Qatar Airways heavily impacted on North America routes.
Airline and Official Statements
Qatar Airways has grounded all flights until the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirms safe reopening of airspace.
This aligns with the airline’s official travel alerts.
Social media echoed the situation, with an X post from @AirlineHub1 on March 10 confirming Qatar Airways has 13 passenger planes stranded at major US airports.
CNN coverage included footage of stranded travelers in Doha and limited relief flights amid the chaos.
