Qatar Airways halts Kochi flights until August 26

Qatar Airways yesterday said it has suspended all flights to Kochi airport in the flood-hit southern Indian state of Kerala until August 26.On Wednesday, it was announced that the airport – officially called Cochin International Airport – would remain closed until August 18 in view of the floods. The authorities concerned yesterday extended the closure until 2pm on August 26 due to a “very high flood situation”.The Doha-based carrier has advised passengers to use the flight status tab on its website for the latest information or call its 24-hour call centre at +974 4023 0000 or +91 79 3061 6000 for assistance.“We would like to assure all customers that every effort is being made to assist affected passengers with alternative arrangements, and we would like to thank them for their patience and understanding,” the airline said in a statement yesterday.The services of other airlines that operate flights to Kochi from Doha – India-based carriers Air India Express, Jet Airways and IndiGo – have also been affected due to the airport closure. The airlines said they are taking measures to deal with the situation. The details can be found on the social media pages of these airlines.