Dozens of flights from London's major airports to the Middle East have been cancelled on Friday, with disruptions expected to continue until at least Monday. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has advised against “all but essential travel” to parts of the region following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks across several countries.
Major carriers including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, and Qatar Airways have grounded most services, though a limited number of flights to and from Dubai International and Al Maktoum International airports are operating. Heathrow has been the hardest hit, with at least 15 departures cancelled, including services to Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Amman.
Gatwick has seen at least 12 cancellations, including multiple Emirates and Qantas flights to Dubai, as well as Qatar Airways services to Doha. At Stansted, an Emirates flight to Dubai has been removed from Friday's schedule. Despite the disruption, some flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dubai remain scheduled from Heathrow, though further cancellations are possible.
The cancellations follow a week of escalating conflict, with Iran launching retaliatory attacks on countries including Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Jordan. Airlines continue to review schedules amid the rapidly developing situation, with several arrivals from the Middle East still expected to land at Heathrow later on Friday.
