Air Canada, International Airlines Extend Middle East Flight Suspensions
Air Canada has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until 24OCT, part of a wider wave of schedule disruptions as airlines adjust to volatile conditions across the Middle East.
Carriers worldwide, including Air Canada, are extending their flight suspensions to Dubai, Riyadh and Beirut as the conflict in the Middle East continues. Military strikes between the US and Iran have escalated after months of on-and-off conflict that began in late February. Here's a list of renewed and new suspensions. Air Canada continuessuspensionof its routes to Tel Aviv and Dubai until 24OCT, extending the pause as conditions across the region remain unpredictable. Air France had planned to restart its Middle East network in July but has postponed operations again. Flights to Riyadh are off the schedule until 24JUL, Dubai is now due to return on 27JUL, and Beirut remains suspended until 02AUG, all subject to ongoing security assessments. Singapore Airlines has stretched its Singapore–Dubai suspension through 24OCT, and at the same time is adding capacity on its Singapore–London Gatwick and Singapore–Melbourne routes through 24OCT to meet stronger demand elsewhere. Turkish Airlines has brought back a number of Middle East destinations, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Damascus, Beirut and Amman, but flights to Iran remain suspended. The carrier says some services to and from Iran and nearby countries are still being cancelled and warns that further disruption is possible as it monitors regional airspace in real time. Philippine Airlines has resumed its Manila–Doha route, but flights to Dubai are still on hold until 2OCT, with full capacity to be restored only when conditions allow. KLM has reworked its Middle East schedule and continues to avoid Iran, Iraq, Israel airspace along with parts of the Arabian Gulf. Flights to and from Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai are suspended until 23AUG, and the airline is still cancelling or adjusting services depending on operational constraints, with options to rebook or refund depending on ticket rules. Aegean Airlines has pulled back its Middle East flying, keeping Dubai off its roster until 31AUG, and pushing its Erbil and Baghdad services out to 30SEPT. AirBaltic isn’t flying to Dubai either, holding its suspension until 24OCT. Finnair has extended its suspension of Helsinki–Dubai flights until 24OCT and continues to avoid the airspace above Iraq, Iran, Syria and Israel. Its Doha flights are off the board for the winter season from 3OCT to 27MAR, 2027 for commercial reasons, with most affected customers rerouted, often via Qatar Airways. Its Dubai service, offered only during the winter season, is set to resume in October. British Airways has reshuffled its Middle East restart. Doha is now expected to resume on 01AUG, Riyadh on 08AUG, and Dubai, Tel Aviv, Bahrain and Amman will remain paused until 25OCT. When those routes return, BA plans to operate just one daily flight to Dubai, Doha, Riyadh and Tel Aviv, and Jeddah will not return to the network. LOT Polish Airlines is planning ahead: its Dubai winter service begins in October, and Beirut is scheduled to return in Summer 2027. The Lufthansa Group continues to suspend and adjust services across the region. Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and Swiss have resumed flights to Tel Aviv, but Brussels Airlines’ Tel Aviv route remains suspended. Lufthansa and Swiss flights to Dubai are off the schedule until 13SEPT, and services operated by Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Dammam, Riyadh, Erbil, Muscat and Tehran are on hold until 24OCT. ITA Airways has extended its pause on Riyadh until 31JUL and on Dubai until 24OCT, citing operational reasons for the continued suspension. Cathay Pacific has pushed back its restart dates, with Dubai now due to return on 24OCT and Riyadh on 25OCT, later than the 01SEPT resumption it had originally planned. Affected travellers are being offered flexibility to rebook, reroute or refund. Wizz Air has halted flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman from mainland European cities until mid‑September, reflecting the wider regional uncertainty. Emirates continues to operate but is rerouting around restricted airspace, which means travellers may see delays or last‑minute changes. Etihad Airways is doing much the same — keeping its network running but adjusting flight paths to avoid affected areas. Qatar Airways is maintaining service while navigating around conflict‑zone airspace, and has signalled that delays remain possible. Saudia has trimmed some regional frequencies and rerouted several flights, though most of its core network is still operating. Gulf Air is also avoiding sensitive airspace and advising travellers that delays may occur. Oman Air has shifted its routings to bypass Iranian airspace, with the potential for schedule disruptions. Royal Jordanian has reduced frequencies and rerouted flights across parts of the Middle East as conditions evolve. Middle East Airlines is operating with significant rerouting and timing adjustments due to ongoing airspace restrictions. El Al continues flying but under tight airspace limitations, with reduced frequencies on certain routes. Turkish Airlines, while restoring many Middle East destinations, is still keeping Iran off its map for now and warning that further cancellations could happen.