Finnair cancels Dubai flights for entire winter season

Published on 25/08/2026 - 13:42 GMT+2•Updated 13:42

Finnair has cancelled all flights between Helsinki and Dubai for the coming winter season, citing continuing security concerns in the Middle East.

The Finnish carrier said on Tuesday that services to the United Arab Emirates would remain suspended from 25 October 2026 until 27 March 2027.

"The security situation in the Middle East has remained unstable, with no clear signs of improvement," Finnair said, adding that it would contact passengers affected by the cancellations.

The decision extends the disruption that began after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on 28 February, triggering a wider regional conflict.

Finnair initially cancelled all Dubai flights between 28 February and 29 March because of the deteriorating security situation. At the same time, it suspended flights through the airspace of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Israel.

The airline also suspended services to Doha back in February. Those flights have not resumed, with Finnair confirming in July that the Qatar route would remain suspended throughout the coming winter season for commercial reasons.

Finnair said earlier this year that the direct impact of the Middle East conflict on its overall traffic had remained limited, although the disruption to major regional aviation hubs increased demand for some of its routes to Asia.

Passengers affected by the latest Dubai cancellations will be contacted directly by the airline.