British Airways Issues Update for its Middle East Operations

‍LONDON — British Airways (BA) has issued an update regarding its Middle East operations. Following missile strikes and drone attacks on key infrastructure across the Middle East last month, BA has suspended flights to most destinations in the region. Commercial airspace in several cities was closed on February 28 and remains closed to ensure safety.

British Airways is unable to operate flights to Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Bahrain (BAH), Amman (AMM), and Tel Aviv (TLV). The airline acknowledges the inconvenience and is updating affected passengers using the contact details provided at booking.

Passengers scheduled to fly between London Heathrow (LHR) and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, or Tel Aviv through March 15 may change their travel dates free of charge for travel on or before March 29. Those traveling through March 8 may request a full refund.

British Airlines has also canceled flights to Larnaca (LCA), Cyprus, due to safety concerns. Affected passengers may change their travel dates free of charge. BA is still running flights to Riyadh and Jeddah as normal.

"If you are travelling between London and Larnaca on or before 15 March, you can change your flight date free of charge to travel on or before 29 March," BA says.

Flight to Muscat, Oman

While the airspace across the Middle East remains closed, some airports have been temporarily opening up their airspace to allow a handful of flights to operate. Thus, open airspace is intermittent in locations such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

However, Oman's airspace is currently open, and BA has scheduled a flight from Muscat (MCT) to LHR. British Airways says it intends to operate a flight out of MCT on Mar 5. Some passengers have been making their way to Muscat (MCT) from various locations in recent days, in anticipation of flights resuming from the city.

​"We’re aware that a number of our customers are now in Oman, where the airspace is currently open. Working with the relevant authorities, we’ve scheduled a flight from Muscat to London, departing at 02:30 local time on 5 March. Existing customers who are in Oman can let us know they wish to travel on this flight via a dedicated phone line: +44 203 467 3854." British Airways said in a notification.

The British flag carrier primarily operates long-haul aircraft from LHR to the Middle East, featuring a mix of Airbus A380s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with some Boeing 777 services. Key aircraft include the Airbus A380 and 787s for Dubai, 787s for Abu Dhabi and Doha, and B777-200ERs for Bahrain.

Aircraft by Route from LHR

• Dubai (DXB): Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
• Abu Dhabi (AUH): Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
• Doha (DOH): Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
• Bahrain (BAH): Boeing 777-200ER.
• Amman (AMM): Typically Airbus A320/A321 Neo (short-haul/mid-haul config).
• Tel Aviv (TLV): Airbus A320neo family aircraft.

Note: Aircraft usage is subject to change based on scheduling and operational requirements.