British Airways (BA) has announced that direct flights to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, will not resume until winter 2027. This decision follows the suspension of flights due to regional unrest and airspace instability.
Flight Suspension and Future Plans
BA's round-trip flights to Abu Dhabi were suspended earlier this year due to unsafe conditions in the Middle East. Initially, these flights were expected to resume in winter 2023, but this plan has now been canceled. Passengers interested in traveling to this destination must use Qatar Airways and fly from Heathrow to Doha, and then transfer to Abu Dhabi.
Daily flights to Doha operate from Heathrow, with ticket prices starting at £300 for economy tickets in September. The journey from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi with a connecting flight takes approximately 11 hours.
Status of Other Middle Eastern Destinations
This is not the only BA route to the Middle East that is currently not operating. Direct flights to Amman were suspended in March and are set to resume in November. Additionally, flights to Bahrain, Dubai, and Tel Aviv were also suspended earlier this year, but flights to these destinations are available for future dates. Direct flights to Bahrain will resume in March 2027, while connecting flights to Tel Aviv will be available from October.
Flights to Dubai will also resume in November, with an indirect flight to Dubai operating daily from Heathrow, along with connecting flights via Doha with Qatar Airways.
In other news, airBaltic has declared bankruptcy due to financial issues. The airline operated direct flights from London Gatwick Airport to Riga, as well as a seasonal route twice a week between Aberdeen and the Latvian capital. The bankruptcy of airBaltic is the second in the industry this year, following the collapse of Spirit Airlines in May.
The good news for passengers with booked tickets is that flights will continue as normal.
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