Middle East Air Travel in Turmoil as Airlines Cancel Flights
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to wreak havoc on global air travel, causing massive disruption to flights across the region. Key aviation hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi are experiencing significant impediments, leaving travellers stranded and airlines scrambling to adjust their networks.
British Airways Makes Permanent Network Changes
British Airways has announced permanent alterations to its flight schedule, including the cancellation of all London Heathrow to Jeddah services effective from 24 April. The airline, which suspended most Middle East operations shortly after the conflict began, plans to resume flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv in the second half of the year, albeit at a much-reduced capacity.
The carrier will reduce services to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv to just one daily flight from 1 July, while cutting Riyadh services from two daily flights to one from mid-May. These changes will remain in effect through the summer season ending on 24 October, with one Dubai service restarting on 16 October.
Regional Airspace Reopening Amid Strategic Shifts
While some airspace in the region is beginning to reopen, with Bahrain's Gulf Air set to resume London flights, British Airways' decision represents a strategic pivot away from the Middle East. The airline is redirecting capacity toward India and Africa instead.
Compounding the challenges for carriers, jet fuel prices have soared dramatically since the conflict's onset, intensifying pressure on airlines already rerouting flights to bypass the volatile region.
Comprehensive List of Airline Cancellations
Below is an alphabetical overview of airlines that have cancelled flights to Middle Eastern destinations:
- Aegean Airlines: Greece's largest carrier has cancelled flights to Riyadh and Amman until 27 June, Tel Aviv and Beirut until 26 June, Erbil and Baghdad until 2 July, and Dubai until 29 June.
- airBaltic: The Latvian airline has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until 31 May and all Dubai flights until 24 October.
- Air Canada: The Canadian carrier has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until 7 September.
- Air Europa: The Spanish airline has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until 3 May.
- Air France: The French carrier has suspended Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh flights until 3 May.
- Cathay Pacific: The Hong Kong airline has cancelled all passenger flights to Dubai and Riyadh until 31 May, while operating extra flights to London, Paris, and Zurich in April to meet European demand.
- Delta: The U.S. carrier has cancelled New York-Tel Aviv flights and delayed the restart of Atlanta-Tel Aviv until 5 September, with its planned Boston-Tel Aviv route postponed indefinitely.
- EL AL Israel Airlines: The Israeli carrier cancelled flights for customers departing Israel through 18 April, but will increase destinations to about 30 from 13 April, expanding gradually through the month.
- Emirates: The UAE carrier is operating a commercial schedule between Abu Dhabi and around 80 destinations.
- Ethiad Airways: The UAE carrier has resumed a limited commercial schedule between Abu Dhabi and around 80 destinations.
- Finnair: The Finnish carrier has cancelled Doha flights until 2 July and will only restart Dubai flights in October, while avoiding Iraqi, Iranian, Syrian, and Israeli airspace.
- Flynas: The Saudi budget airline has suspended flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Syria until 15 April.
- Iberia Express: IAG's low-cost airline has cancelled all Tel Aviv flights through 31 May.
- Indigo: The Indian airline suspended operations to Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah until 28 March.
- ITA Airways: The airline has suspended Tel Aviv flights until 2 April and extended Dubai cancellations until 29 March, while avoiding Iraqi, Iranian, Syrian, and Israeli airspace.
- Japan Airlines: The carrier has suspended Tokyo-Doha flights until 10 May and Doha-Tokyo flights until 11 May, while adding extra Tokyo-London flights on 25 April.
- KLM: The Dutch airline has suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Riyadh, Dammam, and Dubai until 17 May.
- LOT: The Polish airline has suspended Tel Aviv flights until 31 May, Riyadh flights until 30 June, and Beirut flights from 31 March to 30 May, with winter Dubai routes planned for October.
- Lufthansa Group: Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, and Edelweiss have suspended flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv until 31 May, and to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Dammam, Riyadh, Erbil, Muscat, and Tehran until 24 October. Lufthansa Cargo follows similar suspensions, with Tel Aviv through 30 April.
- Malaysia Airlines: The Malaysian carrier has suspended all Doha flights until 14 June.
- Norwegian Air: The low-cost airline has delayed planned launches of Tel Aviv and Beirut services to 15 June.
- Pegasus: Turkey's Pegasus Airlines cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq, Amman, Beirut, Kuwait, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah until 1 May.
- Qantas: Australia's flag carrier is adding flights to Rome and Paris to meet European demand, increasing Paris flights to five weekly returns from three, and Perth-Singapore services from daily to ten weekly flights from mid-April to late July.
- Qatar Airways: The carrier is gradually increasing flights from Doha to over 120 destinations by mid-May.
- Royal Air Maroc: The Moroccan carrier has cancelled Doha flights until 30 June and Dubai flights until 31 May.
- Singapore Airlines: The carrier extended Singapore-Dubai flight suspensions until 31 May, while adding Singapore-London Gatwick and Singapore-Melbourne services from late March to 24 October to meet higher demand.
- Turkish Airlines: The airline cancelled most Middle East flights until end of March, with SunExpress cancelling Dubai flights until 30 April.
- Wizz Air: The low-cost airline suspended Israel flights until 13 April, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman flights from European destinations until mid-September, and all Medina flights indefinitely.
The widespread cancellations underscore the profound impact of regional instability on international aviation, with airlines implementing both temporary suspensions and permanent strategic shifts in response to the volatile situation.
