British Airways axes more than 15 long-haul routes

British Airways has cut more than 15 long-haul routes due to operate next year.

Destinations dropped by the airline include Sydney, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Calgary, Abu Dhabi and the Seychelles.

The carrier has been badly hit by the collapse in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with long-haul routes the worst affected.

Its owner IAG swung to a pre-tax loss of 6.2 billion euros (£5.6 billion) for the nine months to the end of September.

Plane passenger numbers are not expected to return to 2019 levels until at least 2023.

British Airways said in a statement: “We are sorry that, like other airlines, due to the current coronavirus pandemic and global travel restrictions we are operating a reduced and dynamic schedule.

“We will be in touch with any customers whose flights are affected and advise customers to check ba.com for the latest flight information.”

Customers with affected bookings can apply for a full refund or will be offered an alternative itinerary where possible.