‘Clear breach’: Qatar Airways targets blockade nations for $5bn
Airline launches international arbitration against Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt for 2017 airspace ban.
Qatar Airways has launched international arbitration seeking at least $5bn from four Arab countries as compensation for blocking it from their airspace and removing it from their markets.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have essentially banned the airline since June 2017 when they cut all ties with Qatar and imposed an air, land and sea blockade on it over accusations of supporting “terrorism”. Doha denies the charges outright and says the quartet aims to infringe on its sovereignty.
Qatar Airways said in a statement on Wednesday the measures specifically targeted the carrier with the aim of closing its operations in the four countries, destroying the value of its investments and causing widespread damage to its global operations.
Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari has more.