The conflict involving Iran has pushed a string of airlines to pull out of Middle Eastern markets, and British Airways is no exception. A schedule review based on OAG data shows six routes from London Heathrow remain suspended — Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Dubai, Riyadh and Tel Aviv — with most expected back in late October or early November as the carrier rolls out its winter timetable.
Dubai and Riyadh are the headline returns. Dubai service is due back on November 3, 2026, starting with a daily 787-10 and building to two daily 777s in late March 2027. Notably, the A380 has disappeared from the Dubai plans for now, though it could return next winter. Riyadh also resumes on November 3, daily, mainly on the 787-10 — but the second daily flight is off the table through next summer.
Tel Aviv comes back first, on October 25, though with daily A321neo flights rather than the double frequency planned before. Amman follows on November 4 with just four weekly A320neo flights, a big cut from the previously intended daily service.
Two routes are much further off. Bahrain is not expected back until March 28, 2027 (daily 787-9), and Abu Dhabi — BA's last served in early March 2026 — has no return date before winter 2027/28 at the earliest. These stay listed as suspended rather than cancelled, but travellers booking the Gulf for this winter should assume Abu Dhabi and Bahrain are off the menu.
The one bright spot is Doha, which was never fully suspended. BA resumed daily 777-200ER flights to Doha on September 1, 2026, and will double to two daily from March 28, 2027. The route makes sense given the Qatar Airways joint venture: timings are built around peak connections at Hamad International, and the two airlines will offer up to 13 daily flights between London and Doha combined by April 2027.
Even after the November restarts, BA's Middle East presence will be far smaller than a year ago — 32 weekly Heathrow departures versus 78 last November, a drop of 59%. Last year's network also included Jeddah and Kuwait, which now see no BA service at all. Among European flag carriers, only Lufthansa (58 weekly) and ITA Airways (33) plan more.
What does this mean if you're flying? Book Heathrow connections to Dubai, Riyadh, Tel Aviv and Amman from early November with reasonable confidence, but expect reduced frequencies and fewer widebody choices than before. For Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, look at connections through Doha on Qatar Airways, or via other Gulf carriers. With schedules listed as subject to change, flexible or refundable fares are worth the small premium on these routes for now.
