Virgin Atlantic has cancelled its UK flights to Dubai until at least winter 2027.
The airline said: “Unfortunately, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend our seasonal service to Dubai for the winter 2026 season.”
According to Virgin Atlantic, the “temporary pause” for Dubai flights will end next year, subject to safety assessments and demand.
The move follows severe disruption to global air travel due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) currently advises against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates.
Virgin Atlantic services to Seattle have also been put on pause this winter, with plans to resume the service on 27 March 2027.
Customers planning on travelling to Seattle are advised to fly with partner carrier Delta Air Lines, which flies daily from London Heathrow.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said the changes to the 2026 winter flying programme were “due to evolving customer demand”.
From 25 October to 27 March, daily flights will be operated to Cape Town, plus an additional four services on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Johannesburg will also see a 78 per cent capacity increase with daily flights plus three additional services on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays across the same period.
Virgin Atlantic added: “We look forward to increasing capacity to South Africa with services to Johannesburg rising to 10 flights per week and Cape Town to 11 flights per week, offering customers greater flexibility and connectivity for winter sun to the region.
“We’d like to apologise to any affected customers and will be contacting them with their options, which include rebooking or a refund.”
Read more: Dubai airport passenger numbers plummeted 66 per cent after outbreak of Iran-US war