British Airways Suspends London-Beijing Flights Amid Increased Costs and Route Challenges

British Airways (BA) will suspend its direct flights between London Heathrow and Beijing from October 26, following a significant increase in operational costs and flight times due to the Russian airspace ban.

The service, reinstated in June 2023 after a three-year hiatus due to Covid restrictions, will be paused until at least November 2025.

The airline cited longer flight times and increased fuel consumption as key factors in the decision.

The new routing, avoiding Russian airspace, has extended flight durations by approximately one hour, leading to a 20% rise in fuel costs and a 35% reduction in navigation expenses.

These changes have increased overall operating costs by around 16%, necessitating a substantial fare hike to maintain profitability.

“Western airlines now face significant challenges with longer flight times and increased costs,” a BA spokesperson said. “We will be pausing our route to Beijing from 26 October and are contacting affected customers with rebooking options or full refunds. We continue to operate daily flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong.”

BA’s suspension reflects broader difficulties faced by Western carriers in the Chinese market, exacerbated by ongoing geopolitical tensions and the competitive advantage held by Chinese airlines using direct Russian routes. Virgin Atlantic has similarly ceased its Shanghai service, highlighting the strained profitability of long-haul routes to China.

The suspension underscores the ongoing struggle to revive profitable business travel to China, which has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels.