Air France and ITA Airways extend Middle East flight suspensions

Air France and ITA Airways have paused flights to Dubai and Riyadh, with some routes now suspended until early 2027.

Edited by Sandeep Gupta, Editor · SafarSamachar Desk✔ Fact-checked by Sandeep Gupta9 Nov 2026, 5:21 pm IST

Illustration

Illustration: SafarSamachar Pix Desk, created with AI assistance. Not a photograph of the event.

Key facts at a glance

1Air France suspends flights to Dubai until November 11
2Air France suspends flights to Riyadh until December 12
3ITA Airways suspends flights to Riyadh until January 7, 2027
4ITA Airways suspends flights to Dubai until January 30, 2027
5British Airways resumes flights between London Heathrow and Dubai International Airport

Air France has suspended flights to Dubai until November 11 and to Riyadh until December 12. ITA Airways has suspended flights to Riyadh until January 7, 2027, and to Dubai until January 30, 2027.

British Airways has resumed London Heathrow–Dubai but keeps Riyadh suspended until January 11, 2027. KLM halted Riyadh and Dammam until November 27 and Dubai until March 27, 2027.

Singapore Airlines paused Dubai until February 28, 2027; Scoot stopped Singapore-Jeddah until December 2. Lufthansa will not fly to Dubai until November 25. AirBaltic cut the Riga–Dubai link for the whole 2026/2027 winter season.

In India, Air India and Air India Express suspended Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam flights until October 24. IndiGo cancelled all Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah services to the same date.

Akasa Air halted Riyadh until October 24 and Jeddah until October 21. Etihad paused Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam until October 24; Emirates dropped several Dubai-Jeddah flights on October 19 and 20. Qatar Airways stopped Riyadh and Dammam.

What this means for Indian travellers

Air France and ITA Airways have paused their Middle East flight suspensions through early 2027, while other carriers continue to adjust routes, leaving most flights to Dubai and Riyadh halted until late 2026 or early 2027.

Sources

This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and fact-checked by Sandeep Gupta on 9 Nov 2026. Read our editorial policy.Rules and schedules change - confirm with the airline or embassy before you travel. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Source Verification

For official notices, schedules, or policy compliance frameworks, verify details directly via IndiGo or Air India.