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British Airways to Suspend Kuwait – London Flights

This is pretty shocking news but by the end of March 2025, British Airways will be axing its Kuwait London route. British Airways has been flying to Kuwait for over 92 years, since before British Airways was called British Airways.

British Airway’s first flight to Kuwait was in 1932 when Imperial Airways landed in Kuwait for the first time. Imperial Airways merged into British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) in 1939. BOAC in turn merged with the British European Airways (BEA) in 1974 to form British Airways. So Imperial Airways is technically British Airways.

It seems the main reason for the route cancellation is problems with Rolls-Royce engines that power the British Airways fleet. The airline is having issues with the serviceability of their engines and so the Kuwait – London route is no longer viable for them.

I personally stopped flying BA to London since T4 opened. But, BA were my go-to airline to fly to Los Angeles since a number of times I was able to fly business class for around 1,000KD round-trip. Compared to airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways that charge around 1,700, it was a really good deal.

So far in less than 2 years, KLM, Lufthansa, and now British Airways have canceled their Kuwait route. I don’t believe there is any European airline that now flies to Kuwait direct. Now I’m concerned.

35 replies on “British Airways to Suspend Kuwait – London Flights”

Flying from Canada to Kuwait is becoming nightmare, with either 2 stop transits or Air Canada + Kuwait Airways. Something seems off…

simply Kuwait is not one of their most attractive routes therefore making it expendable when faced with the current supply chain issues.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a way for Kuwait Airways to get a monopoly on direct flights to Europe and North America 🙄

I fly this route regularly and there were only 40-45 passengers on this route except for the peak season like the summer break, Christmas rush and Eid holidays. Business/First always run full but Economy and Premium Economy run empty in both directions. At the start of 2023, we had Lufthansa, KLM, BA along with the ME3 and Kuwait Airways. All of those European airlines are now gone. Now, we are forced to fly through Dubai or Doha to North America instead of being able to stretch our legs in Europe and break an ultra long haul flight into two 7-hour segments.

Disappointed but not surprised.

I really do love the BA flights certainly when coming back from the states to have the long layover and explore London. Sad to see it go.

Coming from Canada to Kuwait would be a nightmare now. I alwasy fly Qatar Airways but now I think that they will jack up the price signaficantly!

Adding to your list, I remember AEGEAN Airlines used to come to Kuwait just over a year or so ago and that left too.

This is very sad news. The options we have are limited when viewing the days the direct Kuwait Airways flights take place (i.e. Once or Twice a week to some places and Seasonal to others).

UAE just launched a new airline from DAMAC and BeOnd (HQ is Dubai but its Malaysian), Saudi now has Riyadh Air, Saudi Air, FlyNas, even our lovely friends in Bahrain are Leading the way with Gulf Air Transit Routes as well as a fantastic airport, not going to start with Qatar and their endless options or Oman Air also catching up to all, especially with the kindness of their staff at their airports – I have never met kinder airport staff than those in Oman.

When this new train to riyadh launches, I guess its on the train to the Riyadh (expected at around two hours for the 650KM Journey) and then off to whatever destination on Riyadh Air or Saudi Airlines if things don’t get resolved.

Actually, British Airways has not been flying to Kuwait for over 92 years… that part you mentioned is correct, but it’s for the other axed route, Bahrain. British Airways has been flying to Kuwait for around 63 years. Still a significant amount of time, and hard to comprehend. Big loss in my opinion. Just landed on BA125 to Bahrain. Will be flying BA157 to Kuwait next month. BA has already axed First from their Kuwait flights and will be using a B787-8 with the old Club World configuration.

Mark, I do not deny that. The difference is flying continued with Bahrain (including the first Concorde flight). It did not continue with Kuwait. Hence why, the continuous flying to Kuwait by BA is 63 years vs. 92 to Bahrain. (of course no one is counting the invasion year).

BA flew continuously for 92 years to Bahrain… no one’s making a fuss… just stating facts.. first flight landed in both countries at the same time… continuing flying uninterrupted to/from Bahrain. Out of Kuwait, it was 63 years uninterrupted (minus the invasion).. those are just ummm facts.

Well clearly you’re making a fuss since you left a comment saying that it was incorrect that BA has been flying to kuwait for 92 years. Even after I shared with you the Kuna article stating it is true you’re still disagreeing so you should reach out to Kuna and let them know they’re wrong with their info.

Unfortunately they are wrong about their article.
Here’s a longer article about the backlash, including from the British government about the BA decision. They’re among a couple of other posts and articles.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14059481/amp/BA-flights-Bahrain-Kuwait-Middle-East.html
I think KUNA just took that number and didn’t clarify that the airline hasn’t really been flying for that long continuously. Mind you, even 73 years is a very long time. That’s easily a generation .

Unfortunately they are wrong about their article.
Here’s a longer article about the backlash, including from the British government, about the BA decision. They’re among a couple of other posts and articles.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14059481/amp/BA-flights-Bahrain-Kuwait-Middle-East.html
I think KUNA just took that number and didn’t clarify that the airline hasn’t really been flying for that long continuously. Mind you, even 63 years is a very long time. That’s easily a generation.
*correction from my 73 year typo*

The consequences of being low key, low profile and not particularly tourist keen (rather ‘ajnabi averse’) – you suddenly become irrelevant and beside the point. This is as true for organizations and countries as it is for individuals. No wonder Kwt was bumped off its route map and that sadly won’t change anytime soon.

This has been forced by problems with the 787 Rolls Royce engines and spare parts supply. Airlines are having to rationalise routes that use the 787 accordingly. My old airline, Virgin Atlantic, are dropping some planned 787 routes for next year too.

How can it be profitable when Kuwait Airways flies at preferable times in both directions, have competitive prices and a small market of travelers? The reduction in European services is entirely unsurprising given KA’s expansion of new routes (albeit seasonal) and likely decrease of licences for international carriers coming into Kuwait in order to monopolise routes but not actually service them. I’m sorry but people don’t actually want to come to Kuwait…they only want to leave (and then return out of necessity). Its not a profitable market however you look at it.

Surely, you would think, an airline like British Airways with its vast amount of fleet of aeroplanes could quite easily replace or put to the side their affected Boeing 787 Dreamliners flying to Kuwait and Bahrain with other aeroplane model’s or variants instead, thus, there wouldn’t be the need for British Airways to suspend or cancel any flights to Kuwait and Bahrain to and from Lodon….

Thus, allowing British Airways to carry out the necessary repairs and/ or replacements of their affected Boeing 787 Dreamliner of Rolls Royce engines, while still managing/ continuing their flights of other types of aircrafts to Kuwait and Bahrain without any disruptions…..in theory that is……!

I highly doubt BA have planes just parked on the runway as spares. To replace the planes flying to Kuwait they’d have to stop a plane flying somewhere else. It’s more likely the planes that fly to Kuwait will now be used to replace an affected plane on a more profitable route. We’re no longer an important route for them.

There will be aircraft parked up, unused, while the spare parts issue continues. Engines may well be rotated between aircraft but there will be a not insignificant number of unused aircraft.

The decision on which route to stop will have been a purely commercial one. That said I expect significant pressure will be put on the company to reconsider the decision, considering the nature of the UK’s strategic interests in the region.

I absolutely agree with Mark. BA don’t have planes sitting around. The engine issue is absolutely real and it has affected many routes BA has flown. Dallas for instance, is axed. However, on that route they have their OneWorld and joint venture partner, AA, picking up the slack.

Lufthansa is still flying to Kuwait from Frankfurt. At least I hope so, as I booked my ticket to Germany on their website… So Lufthansa is the last European airline to fly direct to Kuwait?

Lufthansa already stopped flying to Kuwait from September 15. Check your booking you’re flying to Kuwait via Dubai. Frankfurt to Dubai via Lufthansa, Dubai to Kuwait via Emirates.

Thats too bad. Hope its gonna be only temporary. Taking BA from Montreal to Kuwait via London this coming week. Perfect Each leg just over 6 hrs, with a 12 hour in between them.

It is all about economics

Despite Kuwait being an oil producing country, the destination lacks the organic and feeder demand (in the industry lanhuage).

Organic demand is the demand originating from both points in the system to book flight. There are no events, no tourism industry, none existing national agenda for promoting Kuwait as a tourist destination, and business environment is very focused on Kuwait local market.

The feeder demand (which is related to another industry term, catchment area for Kuwait Airport, is none existing. Look at the map around Kuwait airport: the population within the airport catchment area is not highly populated. Add to that, there are many competing main and secondary airports within 2 hours flying time which are better served in an integrated hub & spoke network systems.

All of this make load factors on flights between Kuwait and major cities in Europe below the breakeven load factor with very sharp intense seasonal peaks. Airlines target is to operate on marginal breakeven load factor during off peak and have seasonal full load factors.

IMHO Kuwait problems are originating from lack of strategic planning and absence of economic diversification plans. Add to that lack of strategic infrastructure projects that source a sufficient demand on kuwait-Europe routes.

Some see this as an opportunity for Kuwait Aurways to build a monopoly on Air Travel market in Kuwait. Well that is right in the short term. However, on the medium and long term horizon the economic dictate questioning Kuwait Airways viability and continuity. Personally I don’t see Kuwait Airways surviving with other competent regional players integrating Kuwait within their hub & spoke systems.

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