British Airways suspends flights to Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and Osaka. Flights to Sydney and Bangkok will temporarily halt until late October 2021.
British Airways suspends flights to three Asia routes including Kuala Lumpur, while flights to Sydney and Bangkok will not operate until November 2021.
In an announcement made to trade partners, the airline will stop operations to thirteen routes next year.
British Airways Axes Kuala Lumpur Route
Flights between Kuala Lumpur and London will be removed from the British Airways network. The airline previously returned to Kuala Lumpur in March 2015, after a 14-year gap. Flights were operated using the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft in a four-class configuration.
British Airways then change aircraft to Boeing 787-900 in December 2015, offering customers newer cabin products.
Flights to Kuala Lumpur were temporary suspended for six-months in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, operations resumed in October 2020 with limited flights per week.
British Airways’ final flight from Kuala Lumpur to London will depart on 28 March 2021. Leaving Oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines, the sole airline to operate direct flights on this route.
Permanently Axed
British Airways will permanently cut the following routes from summer season in late March 2021, except for Seychelles, the last service will be 24 April 2021.
- Abu Dhabi
- Calgary
- Charleston
- Dammam
- Durban
- Kuala Lumpur
- Jeddah (Short Term Haj flights will operate in July 2021)
- Lima
- Muscat
- Osaka
- Pittsburgh
- Seoul
- Seychelles
In Asia, besides Kuala Lumpur, both Seoul and Osaka will suffer from the cut.
British Airways is not the only airlines scaling back on its network post-COVID. Singapore Airlines announced in September 2021, that services to Canberra, Dusseldorf, Stockholm, and Wellington will be axed.
Temporary Suspensions
British Airways suspends flights to three cities but reinstate operations from November 2021.
- Bangkok
- San Jose
- Sydney
Sydney will be back
British Airways operates flights to Sydney via Singapore with fifth freedom rights between the two cities. Services to Sydney has been suspended since April 2020 and will not resume until November 2021.
Double Daily Flights to Singapore
British Airways will operate double daily flights between Singapore and London. Even though the Singapore – Sydney route will not be operating until November 2021.
| Route | Flight No. | Depart | Arrive | Days |
| Singapore – London | BA16 BA12 | 2235 2315 | 0505+1 0550+1 | Daily |
| London – Singapore | BA11 BA15 | 1955 2130 | 1605+1 1745+1 | Daily |
The daily flights between Singapore and London will be operated using Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-900 aircraft in a four-cabin class configuration.
Cutting Losses
British Airways has retrenched 10,000 staff this year as part of its plan to reduce cost and limit the burning of cash reserves as passenger numbers collapsed.
In the first half of this year, the airline reported losses of £4 billion. The current losses exceed the 2001 September terror attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the 2008 financial crisis.