Qatar Assigned Its First Flight Information Region In History

The International Civil Aviation Organization (“ICAO”), a United Nations special agency for aviation, for the first time in history recently approved a Doha Flight Information Region (“Doha FIR”) enabling Qatar to control a specific area of airspace over and around the country.

Historically, Bahrain has controlled most of the airspace in the region through the Bahrain FIR reaching Kuwait, crossing the gulf, and meeting with the bordering United Arab Emirates FIR. The Doha FIR limits the Bahrain FIR, and spreads east to the United Arab Emirates FIR, and north toward Iran. Benefits of the Doha FIR include airspace independence, increasing the efficient use of airspace around Qatar, and collecting overflight fees paid by airlines using the designated airspace.