British Airways is significantly altering its flight schedule, reducing services to the Middle East and reallocating aircraft to bolster routes in Asia and Africa. This strategic shift comes in response to ongoing regional tensions and a subsequent dip in demand for travel to the Middle East. The airline plans to resume some Middle East services in July with a reduced frequency.
British Airways has announced a notable reduction in its flight schedule to the Middle East. While services to Riyadh are set to resume in mid-May, and flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv are scheduled to restart on July 1, these routes will operate at a reduced capacity. Specifically, Dubai flights will decrease from three daily services to one, and services to Doha, Tel Aviv, and Riyadh will be cut from two daily flights to one.
The airline will permanently cease operations to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, effective April 24. Flights to Bahrain and Amman are currently paused until October 25. However, flights to Larnaca, Cyprus, are scheduled to resume on May 22.
In tandem with the cuts in Middle East services, British Airways is increasing its capacity on routes to India and Kenya. The airline is deploying larger aircraft on its Delhi and Hyderabad routes starting June 1. Additionally, extra daily flights are being added to Bengaluru and Nairobi throughout the summer, extending until late October. New routing decisions also include adding flights to Mumbai and Delhi over the summer period.
British Airways cited the “ongoing situation in the Middle East” as the reason for these schedule adjustments, aiming to provide greater clarity for customers. The airline stated it is continuously monitoring the situation and is in direct contact with affected passengers to offer various options. The decision to reallocate aircraft reflects a broader industry trend of adapting to geopolitical instability and shifting travel demand.