BA to cut back Gulf flights after travel warning
UK: Carrier takes action after Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice
British Airways is planning to cut back its services to parts of the Middle East and has rearranged for flight crews to spend overnight stops in Larnaca, Cyprus, in response to plans for a war in the Gulf.
The carrier says it is relocating its staff following Friday’s announcement by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that UK travellers should not travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan or Bahrain unless on essential business.
While Saudi, Bahrain and Qatar are largely business destinations for Britons, Jordan has been a recent popular holiday destination for travellers from the UK. The FCO states that all four countries are suffering from “increasing regional tension and the risk of terrorist action”.
The international security consultant Control Risks told the Financial Times that a threat to US interests in the region would intensify in coming weeks, and is telling its clients that they can travel to the Gulf as long as trips are kept short.
A spokesman said: “The cut-off day for winding up travel could be around mid-March as things look at the moment. The expectation remains that an invasion of Iraq is likely before the end of March.”
So far BA has announced that the Kuwait and Abu Dhabi flights will be combined, stopping at Kuwait and Larnaca en route to Abu Dhabi. Doha and Bahrain flights will continue to be combined and stop via Larnaca. Riyadh and Jeddah will also stop via Larnaca. Dubai services will be cut from two to one flight a day from Monday, and Muscat flights have been suspended until further notice.
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