KLM will not operate flights to several Middle East destinations for the whole 2026/2027 winter season, the Dutch airline said on Monday 26 October. The announcement extends a disruption that has already forced repeated changes to the carrier's Gulf schedules since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran this year, and it leaves passengers planning winter travel with a longer wait for normal service.

Different dates for Dubai and Saudi Arabia

The dates are not the same for every destination, and travellers should not treat them as one blanket halt. Flights between Amsterdam and Dubai are cancelled for the entire winter season, through 27 March 2027. Flights to the Saudi cities of Riyadh and Dammam are cancelled through 27 November 2026. Those are cancellation end dates, not a promise that services will resume the following day, so anyone holding a booking should check the individual itinerary rather than assuming a restart.

What passengers should do next

KLM says affected passengers will be notified. In practice, that means checking the booking in the airline's app or website, including connecting segments and airport codes, and confirming that contact details are current so cancellation notices are received. Passengers booked through an agent should ask the agent to explain the options shown on the reservation. Before accepting a replacement, it is worth comparing transfer times, airports and arrival dates, and keeping the original itinerary and airline messages together. The wider lesson of the winter extension is that a route can look bookable while its schedule, or its restart date, has already changed.

Source: Reuters