Qatar Airways loses $69 mln over blockade

Baku. 19 September. REPORT.AZ/ Qatar Airways on Tuesday posted a net loss of over $69 million in the year to March 2018, blaming the "illegal blockade" against Doha by a Saudi-led bloc of countries, Report informs citing Economic Times.

The tiny Gulf emirate's national airline said the period had been "the most challenging year in its 20-year history".

Saudi Arabia and its allies broke off diplomatic relations with gas-rich Qatar on June 5, 2017.

They closed all land, sea and air links with the emirate over its alleged proximity to Saudi Arabia's arch-enemy Iran and support for radical Islamist groups.

It said its fleet had been forced to ply longer routes, raising fuel costs, as well as cancelling flights to 18 destinations. Revenues for 2017/2018 amounted to $2.6 billion.