CAIRO – 1 August 2017: “Quartet’s move to allot nine international air contingent air routes to Qatar does not mean that the air embargo on Doha has been lifted,” Minister of Aviation Sherif Fathi announced on Monday in a call-in during “every day” Talk show broadcasted on ONtv.
“Qatar Airways flights will not be permitted to land in any of the Arab Quartet’s airports,” Fathi said after a meeting with the UN-led International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on contingency routes was over.
Minister’s remarks came in view of recent media reports circulated widely online on Arab countries boycotting Qatar are considering setting up nine air corridors for emergencies after Qatar has turned to ICAO to take an action towards the air ban imposed on it since June 5.
Fathi furthermore confirmed that Egypt’s decision to sever land, trade and air ties with Doha has come to underline our sovereign right to defend the national security.
He also highlighted that the boycotting counties move to set up contingent air corridors to Doha comes in compliance with the international Aviation treaties and their keenness to meet international safety standards.
Fathi made it clear that out of the nine international air corridors, Egypt controls and manages one lying over the Mediterranean Sea, where Egyptian authorities can perform oversight functions and guide planes into the closest destination point.
Qatar’s relations to its neighboring states have been deteriorated since June 5 when Egypt along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates decided to cut ties with Doha, accusing it of supporting extremism.
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