Aviation Diplomacy as Soft Power? Qatar Airways in the Balkans

We explore the burgeoning concept, and practical implementation, of aviation diplomacy, defined as all sorts of diplomatic processes and structures pursued within the area of civil aviation in this article. Addressing a theoretical gap concerning the diplomatic role of this industry, we analyse the dynamic relationship between Qatar and the Balkans through the operations of Qatar Airways in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and North Macedonia. Our primary research question is: How does Qatar Airways’ operationalization of aviation diplomacy influence Qatar’s strategic objectives and international relations as a soft power instrument within the Balkans? Airlines as flag carriers particularly those with government backing, function not merely as commercial entities, but as soft power instruments of state foreign policy. Employing the comprehensive tripartite framework for aviation diplomacy, we operationalize this analysis across three dimensions: aviation as a direct foreign policy tool, a catalyst for soft power and national image, and autonomous diplomatic actors through business diplomacy. We demonstrate the practical operationalization of a novel soft power instrument and underscoring the increasing importance of non-state actors in modern diplomacy.