Kuwait Airways Sets April 26 Restart for Services to 17 Global Destinations
Kuwait Airways will resume flights to 17 international destinations from Terminal 4 at Kuwait International Airport starting on April 26, 2026, just three days after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation reopened the country’s airspace, acting CEO Abdulwahab Al-Shatti told Arab Times. The resumption follows a suspension that began on Feb. 28 amid regional tensions caused by Iranian attacks, which had prompted multiple countries to close their airspace and led to widespread disruptions in Gulf aviation, according to reports from Al Jazeera.
Arab Times listed the resumed routes along with their frequencies, which include three weekly flights each to London, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi and Manila, four weekly to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhaka, daily service to Cairo, two weekly to Beirut, Damascus and Lahore, and one weekly to Istanbul, Guangzhou and Colombo. The complete set covers key markets in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa that form a substantial portion of the airline’s passenger traffic. Al-Shatti highlighted the airline’s preparations at Terminal 4 to ensure smooth operations once services restart.
According to Al-Shatti, the decision to base the resumed flights at Terminal 4 aligns with efforts to enhance operational efficiency, uphold rigorous safety standards and improve the overall passenger experience at the facility. The acting CEO also extended gratitude to Directorate General of Civil Aviation Chairman Sheikh Engineer Hamoud Mubarak Hamoud Al-Sabah for the authority’s assistance in coordinating the reopening. Such collaboration proved essential in navigating the challenges posed by the earlier airspace restrictions.
Routesonline data places the total number of destinations served by Kuwait Airways at approximately 65 as of 2025, indicating that the initial resumption covers a targeted selection within a much broader international network spanning multiple continents. The airline relies on a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft to maintain these connections, which support both business travel and tourism across the regions. This partial restart marks an important milestone in recovering from the operational halt that affected the entire schedule.
Al Jazeera reported that the Feb. 28, 2026, closures impacted at least eight states including Kuwait, with the aviation authority halting flights to Iran and several carriers canceling services across the Middle East. The resulting diversions increased flight times and costs for operators while stranding passengers and disrupting supply chains. The two-month period tested the resilience of regional aviation infrastructure amid the fluid security situation.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s April 23 reopening cleared the way for Kuwait Airways to publish its updated schedule from Terminal 4, with frequencies calibrated to match anticipated demand on each route. Al-Shatti noted that the airline would monitor initial operations closely to refine services as needed. Passengers planning travel on these routes should consult the latest timetables to confirm departure details from Kuwait International Airport.
