As the Middle Eastern conflict takes a toll on travel plans, driving up the desire for direct flights across the world, British Airways has responded with a ‘major winter expansion’. The announcement includes two routes that will now be getting flights for the first time in years since the airline last landed in these destinations.
British Airways will be resuming flights from London Heathrow to Melbourne, Australia, for the first time in two decades. The daily service will connect via Kuala Lumpur and will launch in January 2027. This launch will carry passengers in time for the Australian Open and the Melbourne Grand Prix. Flights are expected to operate year-round on a daily basis.
Another ‘new’ addition to the British Airways offerings is Sri Lanka. Flights to the country’s capital, Colombo, will begin on October 23, 2026, marking almost 11 years since the airline last served Colombo.
The service will be flying three times per week from London Gatwick, but it will be operating for the winter season only. Return fares went on sale in March, starting from £620.
Alongside the returning routes, British Airways will also be adding more flights to a number of destinations for the 2026/2027 winter season. In total, the new schedule will have a nine percent growth in long-haul flights.
These destinations include:
Short-term capacity increases are also expected to meet customer demand as the conflict in the Middle East continues. Additional return services to Bangkok and Singapore have been added as of early March with more flights considered “as needed”.
Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, said: “We’re delighted to announce sizeable growth to our flying schedule for winter 2026, including two notable new destinations that I’m confident will prove popular with our customers.
“We’re also increasing services across several high-demand routes around the world. Together, these changes represent a significant investment in our long-haul leisure network, adding even more options and choice for our customers.
« Elsewhere, we know there is short-term demand as a result of the situation in the Middle East. To support customers with alternative routes from popular destinations we have already launched additional flights, and we will continue to monitor customer demand and add flights to our schedule if we’re able to do so.”
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