British Airways delays Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv flights until 1 August

Disruption overview

British Airways has pushed back the restart of nonstop flights from London Heathrow Airport to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv until 1 August 2026. That leaves the routes suspended for roughly 6 more weeks and means customers booked in July face more cancellations while the airline responds to the ongoing regional conflict. When services return, British Airways plans to run just one daily flight on each route, far below normal summer capacity. Compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely because the disruption is outside the airline's control, but passengers should still be offered rebooking or a refund, plus care and assistance during longer delays.

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Disruption details

British Airways has delayed the return of nonstop services from London Heathrow Airport to Dubai International Airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha, and Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv until 1 August 2026. The airline had hoped to restart the routes in early July, but they'll now remain suspended for about 6 more weeks.

For passengers booked to travel in July, that means more canceled plans and another round of decisions about whether to rebook, reroute, or ask for a refund. These flights have already been suspended since late February, when the security situation in the region escalated.

The latest delay is tied to the ongoing conflict involving Israel, Iran, and allied groups. Missile and drone incidents, changing overflight permissions, insurance constraints, and crew safety assessments are still making operations unpredictable, so British Airways has chosen a more cautious restart date.

The schedule now planned for August is much lighter than before the suspension:

• British Airways plans one daily London Heathrow to Dubai rotation.

• British Airways plans one daily London Heathrow to Doha rotation.

• British Airways plans one daily London Heathrow to Tel Aviv rotation.

That is a clear step down from normal summer service. Before the conflict, the London to Dubai route alone could see up to 3 daily flights during peak season, so the reduced schedule is likely to keep seats tight even after service returns.

British Airways is also making a longer-term change elsewhere in the region. Separate schedule updates show the airline will withdraw from Jeddah and stop serving King Abdulaziz International Airport as part of a broader network reshuffle toward less risky long-haul markets in South Asia and elsewhere.

If you're affected by the July cancellations, British Airways says it's contacting customers and offering standard options such as rebooking, refunds, or alternative routings, in line with fare rules and passenger protections. That could matter even more this summer because seats on competing airlines to the Gulf and Israel are already scarce, and lower capacity is expected to keep fares elevated.

Other European airlines are also keeping their plans flexible. Some are aiming to restart limited Tel Aviv flights from June, but schedules across the region can still change quickly if conditions worsen, and aviation recoveries after geopolitical shocks often happen in small stages.

Because this disruption is linked to a wider security conflict outside the airline's control, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely. Even so, you're not without support: if your flight is canceled, the airline should offer rebooking or a refund, and if you're left waiting, it should provide care such as food, refreshments, accommodation when needed, and a way to communicate. If you want to understand what may apply to your booking, you can use AirHelp's free flight checker to review your rights.

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