Middle East Flight Cancellations: Airlines Reroute Amid Conflict and Fuel Costs
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to cause massive disruption to global air travel, with airlines cancelling flights to key hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi. This situation has left many British travellers stranded, as highlighted by a Foreign Office no-go warning for Dubai. The crisis is compounded by soaring jet fuel prices, intensifying pressure on carriers already rerouting to bypass the volatile region.
British Airways Makes Permanent Network Changes
British Airways is implementing permanent changes to its network, announcing the cancellation of all flights from London Heathrow to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, starting from 24 April. Having suspended most Middle East services shortly after the conflict began, the airline plans to resume flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv in the second half of the year, but at a much-reduced scale. From July 1, services to these destinations will be cut to one daily flight, and Riyadh services will be reduced from two daily flights to one from mid-May. These changes apply through the summer season ending on October 24, with one Dubai service restarting on October 16.
Global Airlines Adjust Schedules
Numerous airlines have cancelled flights to the Middle East, with updates provided in alphabetical order below:
- Aegean Airlines: Cancelled flights to Riyadh and Amman until June 27, Tel Aviv and Beirut until June 26, Erbil and Baghdad until July 2, and Dubai until June 29.
- airBaltic: All flights to Tel Aviv cancelled until May 31 and to Dubai until October 24.
- Air Canada: Cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until September 7.
- Air Europa: Cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until May 3.
- Air France: Suspended Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh flights until May 3.
- Cathay Pacific: Cancelled all passenger flights to Dubai and Riyadh until June 30, while adding extra flights to London, Paris, and Zurich in April.
- Delta: Cancelled New York-Tel Aviv flights and delayed Atlanta-Tel Aviv route until September 5, with Boston-Tel Aviv launch postponed indefinitely.
- EL AL Israel Airlines: Cancelled flights for departures from Israel through April 18, with gradual expansion to about 30 destinations from April 13.
- Emirates: Operating a commercial schedule between Dubai and around 110 destinations.
- Ethiad Airways: Resumed a limited commercial schedule between Abu Dhabi and around 80 destinations.
- Finnair: Cancelled Doha flights until July 2 and avoids airspace of Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Israel, with Dubai flights restarting in October.
- Flynas: Suspended flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Syria until April 15.
- Iberia Express: Cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv through May 31.
- Indigo: Suspended operations to Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah until March 28.
- ITA Airways: Suspended flights to Tel Aviv until April 2 and extended Dubai cancellations until March 29, avoiding airspace of Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Israel.
- Japan Airlines: Suspended Tokyo-Doha flights until May 10 and Doha-Tokyo flights until May 11, with extra flights between Tokyo and London on April 25.
- KLM: Suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Riyadh, Dammam, and Dubai until May 17.
- LOT: Suspended all flights to Tel Aviv until May 31, Riyadh until June 30, and Beirut from March 31 to May 30, with winter route to Dubai planned for October.
- Lufthansa Group: Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, and Edelweiss suspended flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv until May 31, and to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Dammam, Riyadh, Erbil, Muscat, and Tehran until October 24. Eurowings plans suspensions through April 30 for Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Erbil, and through October 24 for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman.
- Malaysia Airlines: Suspended all flights to Doha until June 14.
- Norwegian Air: Pushed back planned launches of Tel Aviv and Beirut services to June 15.
- Pegasus: Cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq, Amman, Beirut, Kuwait, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah until May 1.
- Qantas: Adding flights to Rome and Paris, with Paris flights increasing to five return flights per week and Perth-Singapore service increasing to 10 flights per week, effective from mid-April until late July.
- Qatar Airways: Gradually increasing flights from Doha to over 120 destinations by mid-May.
- Royal Air Maroc: Flights to Doha cancelled until June 30 and Dubai until May 31.
- Singapore Airlines: Extended Singapore-Dubai flights suspension until May 31, while adding services on Singapore-London Gatwick and Singapore-Melbourne routes from late March until October 24.
- Turkish Airlines: SunExpress, a joint venture with Lufthansa, cancelled flights to Dubai until April 30.
- Wizz Air: Suspended flights to Israel until April 13, to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman from mainland European destinations until mid-September, and all flights to Medina indefinitely.
Strategic Shifts and Regional Impact
While airspace in the region is starting to reopen, with Bahrain's Gulf Air set to resume London flights, British Airways' decision to drop Jeddah marks a strategic pivot away from the Middle East. Airlines are redirecting capacity to other regions, such as India and Africa, to mitigate losses. The conflict has led to a surge in demand for alternative routes, prompting carriers like Cathay Pacific and Qantas to add extra flights to European destinations. This reshuffling underscores the broader impact on global travel patterns, with passengers facing extended cancellations and rerouted journeys as the situation evolves.
