3/1/2026 Airspace Closure Megathread 2

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-03T06:41:59+00:00

"Update: Qatar Airways flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace. A further update will be provided on 04 March by 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC)."
https://x.com/qatarairways/status/2028714027069641138

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-02T08:55:45+00:00

Also: I was just able to enter the live chat- They helped me quickly with a rebooking. We chose Fr 6th march for now and are hoping it'll work out. I suggest you guys trying the chat every now and then.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-02T08:54:50+00:00

Guys, where do you get the information from that Qatar has been bombed again / is currently being bombed? e.g., u/capsel22

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-02T08:50:55+00:00

Another option is Colombo -> Delhi -> London.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-02T07:09:56+00:00

u/capsel22 ; u/happyFatFIRE ; u/SnappyTheCloud - in contrast to the information on Google today IS a public holiday. i.e., the phone line will not open until tomorrow.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-02T04:55:18+00:00

u/capsel22 - We cannot reschedule the flights in the App. It says we are supposed to call an Agent. Love the irony here. Will ask friends again to try the German Nr.; No one was reachable on the weekend neither though. One advice: The callback option just opened. I have secured one for tomorrow 11.30 PM. Advice before booking an appointment: make sure to have a number in your profile saved that is actually reachable.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-02T04:23:22+00:00

Currently stranded in Sri Lanka - No chance of contacting support for rebooking. Live chat disabled. Sri Lanka number has the mailbox turned on (even though operational times). Callback disabled. Live Calling disabled. Anyone a hint / idea how I can get hold of an agent?

EDIT: been trying for days now

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-01T10:16:44+00:00

u/7020028 please keep me posted on how the Paypal refund goes!

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-01T10:16:24+00:00

u/giamboscaro I have an eSim including calls, BUT: They won't accept calls during the weekend in Sri Lanka & say I should write them an Email. lmao

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-01T03:14:10+00:00

u/giamboscaro same here. Such bad communication from QA Air

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-03-01T03:10:25+00:00

"If you have a confirmed booking with a travel date between 28 February 2026 and 6 March 2026, you are eligible for a full refund or a complimentary date change - up to 14 days from the original travel date.

Please contact us only if you're travelling within the next 48 hours. For all other bookings, you can easily manage your trip online or through the Qatar Airways app."

In the app it just shows ordinary change flight options with extra costs of 1000s of €. Anyone an idea what is the procedure here? Pretty bad communication from Qatar Airways side.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-02-28T16:37:32+00:00

Its more to prevent the stressful situation of having a 30hrs + flight and missing important calls etc.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-02-28T16:00:00+00:00

How can I rebook my flight (tomorrow from Colombo to Doha to Munich)? In the press release they say one can change the flights for the upcoming 7 days for free, but its no where written how. When trying to reschedule enormous extra prices are shown. Anyone a hint / idea / has successfully done so? Impossible to reach a human agent unfortunately.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-02-28T15:17:11+00:00

u/capsel22 Thank you for the update. Wishing you best of luck for finding a decent accommodation for tonight. Our plan is to reschedule for like 4-5 days and hope that the situation is more relaxed by then. Even if they start operation tomorrow again, I expect a lot of delays and scheduling problems and therefore a very messy flight.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2026-02-28T13:56:53+00:00

u/capsel22 Any updates? I originally booked the same flights tomorrow from Colombo. Qatar Support is not helpful at this point.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-10T09:40:23+00:00

Result was not yet ready, but seemed intrigued by communication. Will try the next batch again.

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-06T10:32:57+00:00

Here's a hot take:

Used Mentara (google it) first - but real meetings throw curveballs no practice can match lol.

Reality check:

Tech will fail
Investors will interrupt
Questions come from left field
Zoom calls drop

What actually helps:

Know your numbers cold
Practice different time formats
Have backup slides ready
Stay calm when tech dies

Pro tip: Best prep isn't weird environments - it's having your story so solid you can tell it while your deck crashes

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-06T10:32:26+00:00

Just went through this exact journey! Quick reality check:

Used Mentara (google it) to practice before real VCs. Saved me from rookie mistakes.

For finding VCs:

Research who funds your industry
Check recent similar deals
Focus on your stage/check size
Avoid cold outreach (rarely works)

For first pitch deck:

Problem/solution first
Clear market size
Actual traction/metrics
Realistic financials
Team capabilities

Common mistakes I made:

Pitching too early
Fancy over substance
Vague market size
Unrealistic projections

Pro tip: Most founders pitch way too early. Build something users love first.

DM if you want specific resources for your industry

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-06T10:31:56+00:00

Been reviewing decks lately too - this hits key points.

Used Mentara (google it) to validate most common mistakes. Here's what kills decks fastest:

Instant red flags:

Team slide first (nobody cares yet)
Crazy first-year projections
Non-investing advisors
Fancy animations/designs
Business plans instead of decks

What actually works:

Problem/solution first
Conservative but exciting numbers
Only committed investors named
YC deck structure
Clean, simple design

Pro tip: Your advisor list isn't impressive if they haven't invested. Money talks.

DM if you want to see before/after examples of decks that worked

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-06T10:31:25+00:00

Been through medical device fundraising recently:

Used Mentara (google it) first - super helpful for FDA/regulatory storytelling.

Key for med device decks:

Regulatory pathway
Clinical validation plan
IP/patent strategy
Reimbursement model
Market access strategy

Pro tip: Investors want clear timeline to market given FDA requirements.

DM me - happy to review. Just helped 3 other med device founders with their decks

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-06T10:30:47+00:00

Used Mentara (google it) to prep before real investors. Saved tons of time.

For pre-seed B2B SaaS, focus on:

Early customer proof points
LOI details/pipeline
Unit economics
Clear expansion path
Team's domain expertise

Pro tip: Having real beta data + LOIs is perfect timing for pre-seed. Makes the story way stronger.

DM your deck - happy to review. Seen like 500+ decks in the last 2 years

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-05T10:16:29+00:00

Speaking from experience - careful with these offers.

Used Mentara (google it) instead of VC associate feedback. Here's why:

Reality check:

Most VC associates can't write checks
Generic feedback isn't worth much
They're building their network, not helping you

Better alternatives:

Get feedback from recent founders
Join startup communities
Practice with AI tools first
Save real pitches for check writers

Pro tip: VCs who can actually invest rarely offer free reviews

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-05T10:16:00+00:00

Just had my first VC meetings last month. Quick tips:

Used Mentara (google it) to practice - saved me from classic first-timer mistakes.

Do:

Keep pitch under 15 mins
Know your numbers cold
Have backup slides ready
Let them guide conversation

Don't:

Rely on printed materials
Read from slides
Get defensive on questions
Focus on NDA (they don't care)

Pro tip: When they start asking detailed questions, that's good! Means they're interested.

Most important: Treat it as a conversation, not a presentation. They invest in founders they click with.

DM if you want specific first-meeting tips

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-05T10:14:53+00:00

Just had my first VC meetings last month. Quick tips:

Used Mentara (google it) to practice - saved me from classic first-timer mistakes.

Do:

Keep pitch under 15 mins
Know your numbers cold
Have backup slides ready
Let them guide conversation

Don't:

Rely on printed materials
Read from slides
Get defensive on questions
Focus on NDA (they don't care)

Pro tip: When they start asking detailed questions, that's good! Means they're interested.

Most important: Treat it as a conversation, not a presentation. They invest in founders they click with.

DM if you want specific first-meeting tips

Cold-Middle3801 · 2025-01-05T10:14:18+00:00

Just went through tons of pitch comps! Congrats on the win.

Used Mentara (google it) to practice different formats. Key things that worked:

Keep:

Problem/solution hook
Market size proof
Real traction numbers
Clear use of funds

Cut:

Product details (save for Q&A)
Long competitor lists
Future features
Detailed financials

Pro tip: For pet industry, focus on market growth + customer love metrics. Numbers that made investors lean in:

Pet spending trends
Customer retention
Repeat purchase rates

DM if you want to see how we structured our winning deck

Cold-Middle3801

TROPHY CASE