British Airways still has six Middle East routes from London Heathrow suspended, though most of them are due to restart within the next month, according to an analysis of OAG schedule data published by Simple Flying on 6 October 2026. The suspensions follow the conflict involving Iran, which has led many airlines to cut, pause or delay returns to destinations across the region.
Heathrow is the only UK airport from which British Airways now flies to the Middle East. Several of the paused routes are scheduled to come back with the start of the northern winter season on 25 October or in the first week of November, but some will return with fewer flights or smaller aircraft than before.
The six suspended routes
Tel Aviv was last served on 3 May 2026 and is due to return on 25 October 2026. BA plans a daily Airbus A321neo, half the previously planned frequency.
Dubai was last served on 27 February 2026. Flights are scheduled to resume on 3 November 2026 with a daily Boeing 787-10, rising to two daily Boeing 777-200ER flights from 28 March 2027. The Airbus A380 is no longer scheduled on the route, although Simple Flying notes it could return next winter.
Riyadh was last served on 18 March 2026 and is due back on 3 November 2026 with a daily flight. The 787-10 will be the main aircraft, with the 787-8 and 787-9 also used; from 28 March 2027 only the 787-8 and 787-9 are scheduled. There is currently no plan to bring back a second daily flight through next summer.
Amman was last served on 27 February 2026 and is scheduled to return on 4 November 2026 with four weekly A320neo flights, down from the daily service previously planned.
Bahrain was last served on 26 February 2026. Its return has been pushed to 28 March 2027, when a daily Boeing 787-9 is scheduled.
Abu Dhabi was last served on 2 March 2026 and is expected to return only in winter 2027/28. In early 2026 BA offered a daily 787-8 or 787-9 on the route, and when the restart was still planned for 25 October 2026, a daily 787-8 had been scheduled.
BA has also stopped serving Kuwait and Jeddah recently, and Virgin Atlantic has ended its flights to Dubai and Riyadh.
Doha is already back
One Gulf route is already flying again. BA returned to Doha on 1 September 2026 after last serving it in February, with a daily Boeing 777-200ER. That frequency is due to double to two daily 777-200ER flights on 28 March 2027. The route matters to BA largely because of Qatar Airways, its oneworld and joint-venture partner, and the double-daily schedule is timed for connections at Doha's Hamad International Airport.
Still 59% below last year
By 4 November, BA is due to serve five Middle East destinations: Doha, Amman, Dubai, Riyadh and Tel Aviv. It has scheduled 32 weekly departures from Heathrow to the region, or four to five flights a day. Among European flag carriers, only Lufthansa, with 58 weekly departures, and ITA Airways, with 33, plan more.
That is still 59% below BA's offer in November last year, when it had 78 weekly departures, or 10 to 12 flights a day. At that time BA flew daily to Amman, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, 13 times a week to Doha, three times a day to Dubai, four times a week to Jeddah, 12 times a week to Riyadh and daily to Tel Aviv.
Plans can still change
The return dates and aircraft are based on schedule data as of 6 October and are subject to change. Simple Flying notes that, with less than a month to go, most of the near-term restarts look likely to happen, but airlines have repeatedly adjusted Middle East plans this year as the conflict has continued. Passengers booked on any of the affected routes should check their bookings with British Airways before travelling.
Comments
Loading commentsβ¦