Passengers Stranded at O’Hare Due to Qatar Airways Flight Cancellations

CHICAGO, Illinois — Around 350 passengers were stranded at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Christmas Eve due to the cancellation of Qatar Airways Flight 726, originally scheduled to fly to Doha, Qatar. The flight, which was set to depart at 6:50 p.m., was canceled after the airline reported technical difficulties.

By 1 a.m. on Christmas Day, passengers learned the flight was canceled entirely, and they were told to return the next day at 3 p.m. However, that flight was also canceled later that evening. Passengers expressed frustration at the situation, citing lost money and valuable time during the holiday season.

Tania Salam, who was traveling with her husband and two children, shared that the cancellations cost her family nearly $15,000, including four tickets and accommodations. “We already lost two days yesterday, and today we were under a lot of pressure and lost a lot of money,” she told Telemundo Chicago.

Another passenger, Muhammad Ashkar, emphasized the emotional toll of the situation, stating, “Money is just the beginning. The time that was lost, that wasn’t used to make this trip, you can’t put a price on that.” While Qatar Airways did provide accommodations for some passengers, others, like Laura, were left without hotel stays simply because they lived in Illinois.

“I think I lost $2,000 to $3,000, in addition to the time I was going to spend with my family, that’s what bothers me the most,” she said, reflecting on the unexpected expenses tied to the cancellations.

Travel experts recommend that passengers consider travel insurance to mitigate losses from trip disruptions. They also advise keeping receipts and thoroughly documenting cancellations when seeking refunds or compensation. As of late Friday, Qatar Airways had not provided additional comments regarding the flight disruptions, though records indicated that a rescheduled flight finally departed O’Hare at 7:12 p.m.