BA cancels more flights over terror fears

Last updated at 10:16 16 February 2004


British Airways today cancelled another international flight over security fears.

The scrapped flight was BA263 which would normally have left Heathrow for the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh at 1.35pm.

The grounding followed the cancellation yesterday of BA223 - one of three London to Washington DC flights that BA operates daily.

It was the fifth time since the beginning of the year that this particular London-Washington service had been cancelled. Passengers on this route have also been subject to long delays on some other days.

The cancellations have followed fears raised by United States intelligence of terror attacks on transatlantic flights and plans to install armed air marshals 'where necessary'.

More than a dozen BA, Aeromexico and Air France flights to the USA have been cancelled or delayed since New Year's Eve because of security fears.

Following the announcement of the latest cancellations, the American intelligence service was accused of 'jumping at shadows'.

Jim McAuslan, general secretary of the British airline pilots' association Balpa, accused officials of taking bits of information and 'letting their imaginations run riot'.

The union called on the Government to check out information from the US which was leading to so many flight cancellations.

A BA spokeswoman said last week: 'Following advice from the Government we have cancelled the two flights due to security reasons.

'We take our lead from the advice we take from the Government as to what action to take.'

Pilot organisations in Britain, Spain and other countries have also expressed strong reservations about plans to put armed air marshals on flights.

The US Department of Homeland Security announced on December 29 that airlines would be required to place armed law enforcement officers on flights to the United States 'where necessary'.

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