British Airways resumes Dubai flights as Middle East disruption affects 7,800 services

Disruption overview

British Airways is back on the London Heathrow–Dubai International Airport route with 1 daily winter service, but 7,800 flights are affected by continuing Middle East disruption as of 4 November 2026. Security concerns following attacks on Saudi airports and infrastructure have prompted airlines to extend suspensions, reduce schedules, and offer rebooking flexibility across Saudi Arabia and nearby hubs. Emirates has restored Jeddah flights, while services to Riyadh and Dammam are due to follow. If your journey's affected, compensation is unlikely for disruption outside the airline's control, but refunds, alternative flights, and care may still be available depending on your route and circumstances.

Get flight compensation

Check if the airline owes you money for your delayed or canceled flight

Disruption details

British Airways has resumed flights between London Heathrow and Dubai International Airport after an 8-month suspension. But as of 4 November 2026, disruption continues across the Middle East, with 7,800 flights affected as security concerns prompt airlines to cancel, suspend, or reduce services.

For passengers, this means a returning route doesn't necessarily signal a return to normal travel across the region. If you're flying to Saudi Arabia or through nearby hubs, your schedule may still change at short notice, and you may need to rearrange your journey.

British Airways is operating 1 daily London–Dubai service for winter, with plans to increase frequency later. Emirates has also restored much of its network and reinstated Jeddah flights. Its Riyadh and Dammam services are due to return soon.

Those resumptions sit alongside continuing restrictions elsewhere. Attacks on Saudi airports and infrastructure since early October 2026 have led airlines to extend suspensions or adjust their schedules in response to security risks.

Saudi airspace remains technically open, but intermittent missile strikes continue to affect operations. Separately, authorities in the United Arab Emirates have suspended flights operated by Iranian airlines because of US sanctions.

Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Flydubai, Gulf Air, and Air Arabia continue to have cancellations, suspensions, reduced schedules, or flexible rebooking arrangements on affected routes. Disruption extends across Saudi destinations and nearby hubs, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Bahrain.

Saudi cities affected by route changes include Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Abha, Taif, and Madinah. Air France, Air India, IndiGo, Aegean Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, Flynas, and Oman Air are also among the airlines adjusting services or offering flexibility.

Philippine Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Air Astana, Malaysia Airlines, and Pakistan International Airlines have also made changes affecting travel to and from Saudi Arabia and surrounding hubs. The arrangements differ by airline and route, so a service operating with one carrier doesn't mean another has resumed the same destination.

Longer-term reductions and suspensions also affect connections between the Gulf and Europe, Asia, and North America. Air Canada, airBaltic, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Finnair, Iran Air, ITA Airways, and KLM have canceled, postponed, or suspended some Middle East services.

Korean Air, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Virgin Atlantic, Scoot, Singapore Airlines, and Wizz Air are also among those with affected services. Destinations covered by these wider changes include Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Doha, and Tel Aviv.

Travel warnings reflect the continuing security risks. US embassy alerts warn of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruption. UK government advice warns against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia and against travel near the Yemen border.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has also issued conflict-zone advisories covering Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman.

If you're due to travel, check your airline's schedule repeatedly, as several carriers warn that changes can happen at short notice. Some airlines are automatically moving affected passengers to the next available flight, while others are allowing travel-date changes without a fee.

Compensation is unlikely for flights disrupted by these security incidents and airspace restrictions because they're outside the airline's control. This includes affected flights covered by EC 261 or UK 261, the passenger protection rules for qualifying EU and UK journeys.

That doesn't mean you're without support. Depending on your flight and circumstances, you may still be entitled to a refund or rebooking, plus meals, refreshments, and overnight accommodation when needed. AirHelp's free flight checker can help you understand which passenger rights may apply to your journey.

Protect your future trips with AirHelp+

Secure your flights, luggage and get lounge access

Information on this page is AI generated, but always checked by a (human) passenger right expert.