{"version":"1.9","identifier":"ec3cdb0e-b662-4733-8f4b-bd622200e4c2","language":"en-US","title":"British Airways is back in Doha, and Qatar Airways rolled out the welcome","layout":{"columns":7,"width":1024,"margin":32,"gutter":20},"componentLayouts":{"text":{"columnStart":0,"columnSpan":7,"maximumContentWidth":720,"margin":{"top":12,"bottom":12}},"photo":{"columnStart":0,"columnSpan":7,"margin":{"top":20,"bottom":20}}},"componentTextStyles":{"default":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":18,"lineHeight":29,"textColor":"#171717"},"headline":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue-Bold","fontSize":36,"lineHeight":42,"conditional":[{"conditions":{"maxViewportWidth":480},"fontSize":28,"lineHeight":34}]},"intro":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":20,"lineHeight":28,"textColor":"#555555"},"caption":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":13,"lineHeight":19,"textColor":"#666666"},"byline":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":13,"lineHeight":20,"textColor":"#666666"},"body":{"fontName":"HelveticaNeue","fontSize":18,"lineHeight":29,"paragraphSpacingAfter":14,"linkStyle":{"textColor":"#00704a"}}},"metadata":{"canonicalURL":"https://www.loungefrog.com/news/british-airways-returns-doha-september-2026","datePublished":"2026-10-10T01:18:32.62923Z","dateModified":"2026-10-14T23:44:44.356307Z","authors":["Patrick Karsh"],"excerpt":"BA's London–Doha flights have restarted after a months-long pause. Trade data points to a daily 777 now and twice-daily service from March 2027.","thumbnailURL":"https://pub-fac99da959e344fe99d810d309cef7df.r2.dev/photos/article/ec3cdb0e-b662-4733-8f4b-bd622200e4c2/d34bbf0ec48ee3ba9008b3ca08cb6566.jpg","generatorName":"Frog News","generatorVersion":"1.0"},"components":[{"role":"title","text":"British Airways is back in Doha, and Qatar Airways rolled out the welcome","textStyle":"headline","layout":"text"},{"role":"intro","text":"BA's London–Doha flights have restarted after a months-long pause. Trade data points to a daily 777 now and twice-daily service from March 2027.","textStyle":"intro","layout":"text"},{"role":"byline","text":"By Patrick Karsh · Published October 10, 2026","textStyle":"byline","layout":"text"},{"role":"photo","URL":"https://pub-fac99da959e344fe99d810d309cef7df.r2.dev/photos/article/ec3cdb0e-b662-4733-8f4b-bd622200e4c2/d34bbf0ec48ee3ba9008b3ca08cb6566.jpg","caption":"Photo from British Airways Media Centre's coverage of 24879. · British Airways Media Centre","accessibilityCaption":"Photo from British Airways Media Centre's coverage of 24879.","layout":"photo"},{"role":"caption","text":"Photo from British Airways Media Centre's coverage of 24879. · British Airways Media Centre","textStyle":"caption","layout":"text"},{"role":"body","format":"markdown","text":"[British Airways](https://www.loungefrog.com/airlines/ba) is back in Doha. After months away, the airline's flights between [London Heathrow](https://www.loungefrog.com/airports/lhr) and Hamad International Airport have restarted, and its oneworld partner Qatar Airways rolled out the welcome on social media.\n\n\"We welcome back our partner, @British_Airways, to Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar,\" Qatar Airways wrote [on X on September 2](https://x.com/i/status/2095169420247040250), with a photo of the two airlines' tails side by side. The post drew more than 800 likes.\n\n## What the airport says\n\nHamad International Airport (HIA) marked the arrival too. In [its own post](https://x.com/i/status/2095173440172966243), the airport said that \"from 2 September, British Airways will operate direct flights between Doha and London.\"\n\nHIA added that British Airways joins 36 other airline partners and Qatar Airways in linking Doha to more than 160 destinations around the world.\n\n## Why BA left\n\nBritish Airways pulled out of Doha earlier this year as airspace in the region became unstable. In [a March 16 update](https://mediacentre.britishairways.com/pressrelease/details/24879) on its media center, the airline listed flights to and from Doha among those canceled.\n\nThat gap lasted through the spring and summer. For people living in Qatar, it meant one fewer nonstop choice to London.\n\n## The schedule\n\nBritish Airways has not put out a press release on the return that we could find. The best detail comes from trade press.\n\nAccording to [Aviation Shop](https://www.aviationshop.com/blogs/news/british-airways-still-has-six-middle-east-routes-suspended-from-heathrow), which cites Simple Flying and OAG schedule data, BA returned to Doha on September 1 with one daily Boeing 777-200ER flight. Its last flight before that was in February. The same report says the route is due to go to twice daily from March 28, 2027, and that the timings are set up for connections. Schedules can still change, so check current times with British Airways before you book.\n\nAviation Shop also notes that British Airways still has several other Middle East routes from Heathrow suspended.\n\n## My take\n\nFor oneworld flyers, this matters for a few reasons:\n\n* **More choice on Doha to London.** Qatar Airways already flies the route. BA adds another nonstop option on the same trunk.\n* **Connections.** Qatar is BA's oneworld and joint venture partner, so BA passengers in Doha can connect onto Qatar's network.\n* **Earning.** Members of either program can usually earn on the other's flights. Check your own fare and program rules first.\n\n## Which lounge?\n\nWe have not seen BA or Qatar confirm which lounge British Airways passengers use in Doha, so we are not going to guess. If you are flying BA from Doha, check with the airline before you go.\n\nOur directory covers all the main [Hamad International lounges](https://www.loungefrog.com/airports/doh), including the [Al Mourjan Business Lounge (South)](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/doh-al-mourjan-business-lounge-south), [The Garden](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/doh-al-mourjan-business-lounge-the-garden), the [Al Safwa First Lounge](https://www.loungefrog.com/lounges/doh-al-safwa-first-lounge) and the Platinum and Gold lounges for oneworld elites flying with Qatar.\n\n## The bigger picture\n\nBA's return follows Qatar's own push to rebuild its network, which we covered in our [look at Qatar's winter schedule](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/qatar-airways-winter-2026-network).\n\nIt also comes as Qatar tries to win back its Doha-based frequent flyers, with a new [Tier Restoration offer](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/qatar-privilege-club-tier-restoration-double-qpoints-doha-2026) for members who lost status this year.\n\nFor more, see our [Qatar Airways page](https://www.loungefrog.com/airlines/qr).\n\n## Related reading\n\n* [Qatar Airways' 20-hour Doha to Caracas flight via Bogotá is back on, with Qsuite](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/qatar-airways-doha-bogota-caracas-november-4)\n* [Qatar Airways is back in Philadelphia: Qsuite and where to wait](https://www.loungefrog.com/news/qatar-airways-doha-philadelphia-daily-a350-qsuite)\n* [Qatar and British Airways Avios: link accounts before a live booking](https://www.pointsfrog.com/news/qatar-and-british-airways-avios-link-accounts-before-a-live-booking)","textStyle":"body","layout":"text"}]}