Major airline axes more than 130 flights from the UK
A MAJOR airline has axed over a hundred flights from London Heathrow and Gatwick.
Qatar Airways has made big changes to its spring schedule and has cancelled 131 upcoming flights from its rota.
Qatar Airways flies from both London Heathrow and Gatwick with direct services to Qatar’s capital, Doha.
Between the months of April and June 2026, there had been 951 departures from the two London airports to Doha.
But according to the new schedule, it now has just 818 outbound flights, which is a reduction of 133 flights across the three months.
SimpleFlying found that on week starting May 1, 2026, Qatar Airways has planned for 59 weekly departures rather than 70.
During that week at Gatwick, there will be 11 weekly departures, which is reduced from the previous double daily service at 22 flights.
That same route will continue to have 11 weekly flights throughout September.
At the same time in London Heathrow, Qatar Airways will provide 48 flights rather than 59 – a loss of 11 services.
SimplyFlying added that it’s “believed that it’ll hand slots back to British Airways”.
Qatar Airways and British Airways are part of the Oneworld alliance, meaning BA effectively serves Doha on the carrier’s behalf.
Currently, there are no changes planned to BA’s flight offering.
The route between London and the capital of Qatar takes on average six hours and 45 minutes.
Other changes Qatar Airways has made changes to its upcoming schedule. include suspending flights to Aleppo.
It will also reduce services to other destinations like Peshawar, San Francisco, Sialkot and Venice.
Qatar Airways also plans fewer London services from July to October – but this is a decrease of only two per cent.
Sun Travel has gone to Qatar Airways for comment.
For more on Qatar Airways, here’s what one Sun Travel writer made of the airline when she flew with them in business class.
The airline was even named the best for the ninth time in the Skytrax Awards last year.