British Airways Halts London-Abu Dhabi Flights Over Engine Issues

British Airways (BA) has announced the suspension of its flight service between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport for the summer travel season of 2025, citing ongoing supply chain challenges with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. This decision impacts the operation of BA’s Boeing 787 aircraft, which are crucial for this 3,426-mile route. The suspension will be effective from March 30 to October 25, 2025.

The route, which only resumed in April 2024 after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic, is currently served daily by the airline using 787-9 aircraft. The decision to pause once again comes as a setback for the carrier, which has been struggling with the delivery of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce. The Trent 1000 engines, in particular, have been a significant concern, leading to broader operational adjustments across the airline’s network.

A spokesperson for British Airways expressed disappointment over the need to alter the schedule again, emphasizing the importance of providing customers with certainty for their travel plans. “We’re disappointed that we’ve had to make further changes to our schedule as we continue to experience delays to the delivery of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce—particularly in relation to the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines fitted to our 787 aircraft,” the spokesperson stated. BA is committed to minimizing disruption for passengers, offering rebookings on the same day either with British Airways or through partner airlines where possible.

The impact of the Trent 1000 engine issues extends beyond the London-Abu Dhabi route. British Airways has also had to cancel its daily summer service from London Heathrow to Dallas-Fort Worth and operations to Kuwait International Airport. Additionally, adjustments include the removal of a second daily flight from London Heathrow to Miami, maintaining twice-daily services to New Delhi instead of the planned three times daily, and reducing capacity to Doha, Qatar.

Further network adjustments due to the engine issues include delaying the launch of new services to Kuala Lumpur and reducing flights between London Gatwick Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from December 12, 2024, through March 25, 2025. Despite these challenges, BA has decided to continue its longstanding route from London Heathrow to Bahrain next summer, following constructive discussions with partners and stakeholders.

These operational decisions underscore the challenges British Airways faces in maintaining its global service network amid technical and supply chain constraints. The airline remains focused on resolving these issues promptly while ensuring minimal disruption to passengers’ travel plans. This situation highlights the complex interdependencies of modern international air travel, where technical issues can ripple across an airline’s entire network, affecting numerous routes and altering the travel plans of thousands of passengers.

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