KLM has extended its suspension of flights to Dubai and Riyadh through October 24, 2026, marking the latest delay in the Dutch airline’s efforts to resume service to the Middle East amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The airline announced the extension on August 5, pushing back its previously planned restart date of August 23. KLM has not operated flights to Dubai, Riyadh, or the Saudi city of Dammam since March 2026, when the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, forcing widespread airspace closures across the region.
The suspension reflects a pattern of repeated extensions over nearly eight months. In May, KLM extended the suspension through mid-July; by late July, it had pushed the date to September 6; and now it extends to late October. Each extension has cited safety concerns linked to regional airspace risks and military activity in the conflict zone.
KLM is far from alone in this decision. Air France has suspended its Dubai flights until October 25, while Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways have all extended suspensions to destinations across the region through similar dates in late October. British Airways has suspended flights to Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, and has permanently dropped its London-Jeddah route, according to reporting from Al Jazeera on August 6.
The broader conflict has reshaped aviation across the Middle East since early 2026. When the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February, multiple countries closed their airspace entirely. Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Bahrain all shut their skies, while Kuwait closed its airspace following a drone attack on its airport. Reuters reported in March that at least 30,000 flights in and out of the Middle East had been canceled since the strikes began. Airlines flying longer detours to avoid restricted airspace burned significantly more fuel, driving up operational costs at a time when global fuel prices had already spiked.
The financial impact has been severe. Air France-KLM cut its 2026 profit forecast in April, citing the Middle East conflict, and warned that higher fuel prices would expand its fuel bill by more than a third. The airline industry as a whole nearly halved its 2026 profit forecast, according to reporting from Reuters in June, as the conflict disrupted routes and drove up costs across the sector.
Passengers booked on affected flights are entitled to rebooking on alternative routes or refunds. KLM’s travel alerts page notes that customers can find rebooking options and compensation information on the airline’s website. The extension to October 24 means that travelers planning trips to the Gulf region should expect continued disruption through the fall season.
Sources
- TheStreet — KLM’s August 5 announcement extending the suspension to October 24
- NAMPA — Confirmation of the October 24 suspension date and citation of ongoing tensions
- Travel Gossip — Details on the eight-month suspension timeline and multiple extensions
- KLM Official Statement — Current travel alerts confirming suspension dates for Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam
- Euronews — Air France’s suspension of Dubai flights until October 25 and other European carriers’ suspensions
- Al Jazeera — British Airways suspension of Gulf routes and permanent cancellation of London-Jeddah service
- Reuters — Details on airspace closures in March 2026 and the 30,000 flight cancellations; Air France-KLM profit forecast cuts
- CNN Traveler Middle East — Broader industry suspension patterns and October restart dates across multiple carriers
