BERLIN, March 8 (Reuters) - Qatar Airways will report a "very large loss" because of a regional political dispute that has slapped restrictions on the airline, its chief executive said on Wednesday. The major Gulf airline lost access to 18 cities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and Bahrain last June when those four countries cut ties with Qatar after accusing it of supporting terrorism. The restrictions, which include a ban on using airspace over the four countries, is "putting financial strain" on Qatar Airways, Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker told reporters at the ITB travel fair in Berlin. "We will announce a very large loss during the current financial year which ends this month," he said, without giving further details. Baker has previously warned that Qatar Airways would make a loss but had declined to disclose how significant it would be. Qatar Airways made 1.97 billion Qatari riyals ($541 million) profit in its previous fiscal year. When asked if it was running short of cash, Baker said in an interview with Reuters TV that Qatar Airways may need to call on its state owners for extra funds should the boycott continue. "Not for the foreseeable future, but if it continues long term our shareholders will have to put additional equity into the company," he said. Saudi Arabia and the UAE were popular routes for Qatar Airways. The airspace ban means that for many flights to the west and south of the Gulf the airline has to fly longer routes around the four countries which requires more fuel and increases costs.
