Seven Flights To, From U.S. Are Canceled

My Way/ AP ^ | Jan. 31, 2004 | BETH GARDINER

[FairOpinion]

LONDON (AP) - British Airways (BAB) and Air France on Saturday announced the cancellation of seven flights to and from the United States because of security concerns.

BA canceled four flights between Heathrow Airport and Washington on Sunday and Monday and one from Heathrow to Miami on Sunday. Air France canceled two Paris-to-Washington flights. There are no plans to raise the terror alert in the United States because of the latest threats, Homeland Security Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said.

"We remain concerned about al-Qaida's desire to target aviation, especially international aviation," said Roehrkasse said.

"The U.S. intelligence community continues to gather specific credible threat information on international flights, as we have done in an ongoing basis in the past few weeks. We have shared this information with our international partners, and will work with them to put in place the appropriate security measures."

BA Flight 223 to Washington's Dulles airport will not fly on Sunday or Monday, but was to have departed Saturday afternoon, said an airline spokeswoman. Flight 222 from Washington Dulles to London also was canceled Sunday and Monday, the airline said.

The Saturday flight from London to Washington appeared to be running behind schedule, but no extra security was seen around the jet.

Dennis Lopez, 48, a lawyer from Tampa, Fla., boarding the plane, said the cancelations were unnerving.

"I'm a little worried and if I had another flight arrangement right now that could take me there I would definitely take advantage of that," he said.

He added that he had just arrived from Kuwait, and "I breathed a sigh of relief when I landed in London, thinking I was out of the area of most concern. ... It hadn't occurred to me that this flight could be a possible target."

BA Flight 207 to Miami will not fly on Sunday, the airline said, but had departed Saturday morning.

Air France canceled its Flight 026 from Paris to Washington on both Sunday and Monday "for reasons of security," spokeswoman Veronique Brachet said.

The BA spokeswoman, who declined to be identified, said BA had made its decision on the advice of the British government. She cited security fears but gave no further details.

"The safety and security of our operations is our absolute priority and will not be compromised," the airline said.

BA's Flight 223 had been the subject of concern early in January, when it was canceled twice because of security fears and then delayed for hours several more times.

Six Air France flights were canceled between Paris and Los Angeles on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day after security talks between U.S. and French officials.

U.S. officials said Friday that new intelligence indicated Flight 223 and Air France flights from Paris to an unspecified U.S. city could be terrorist targets.

"We remain concerned about al-Qaida's desire to target aviation, especially international aviation," U.S. Homeland Security Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said. "The U.S. intelligence community continues to gather specific credible threat information on international flights, as we have done in an ongoing basis in the past few weeks."

The department said it could not immediately say why the flights were canceled, or specify the source of the intelligence - U.S., British or another government's - that led to BA's decision.

A British Department for Transport spokesman said only that the decision to cancel the flights was made "in the light of information received."

"Aviation security measures are adjusted from time to time, and occasional cancellations may be necessary," he said on condition of anonymity. "The first priority is always the safety of the traveling public."

[mylife]

Wasnt BA 223 Cancelled during the Christmas holidays as well? Hmmmm....

[ican'tbelieveit]

Why did the reporter put in "to and from" the US? looks like it is only "to" the US.

[pompelmous]

If the passengers and cargo are screened and there are marshals on board what good is done by canceling the flight?

[Lijahsbubbe]

Flight 222 from Washington Dulles to London also was canceled Sunday and Monday, the airline said.

To andfrom Washington cancelled. The threat is inside the country and outside.

[Lijahsbubbe]

See post #5.

[LikeLight]

The return flight from Dulles is cancelled because the aircraft is still in London - these international flights are always cancelled in "pairs" out of necessity . . .

[livius]

Actually, I think it's because they use the same equipment, normally. If it doesn't come in, it can't go back.

[Dog]

What is going on? I just got in from work.....and have been out of the news loop.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Thanks both.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Still don't understand why no raising of alert level. Sounds the same as the holiday threat.

[Cap Huff]

It's deja vu all over again.

[mylife]

I'll be glad when the muslim holidays are over

[ican'tbelieveit]

It makes it seem like they are being cancelled because they are threatened. Guess the wording is misleading.

[dawn53]

Miami wasn't part of the last threat, was it?

[FairOpinion]

Depends on the threat.

"Another major concern was the possibility terrorists with shoulder-fired missiles might lie in wait along certain flight paths, the newspaper reported."

==

This was a comment re. the cancellations over the holidays, but I think it's still a valid concern. This type of threat would explain the cancellations.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1073086208968&call_pageid=968332188854&col=968350060724

[Dog]

I know..

[ican'tbelieveit]

Heard that explained this morning. It's all about the money.

[FairOpinion]

http://www.forbes.com/personalfinance/retirement/newswire/2004/01/31/rtr1237099.html

Al Qaeda threat behind canceled flights-US official
Reuters, 01.31.04, 10:28 AM ET

WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The United States has intelligence that the al Qaeda network may be targeting five or six U.S.-bound flights from Europe, including three canceled by British Airways on Saturday, a U.S. official said.

"There are a handful of flights we are concerned about and British Airways has canceled about half of them," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The U.S.-bound flights in question all originated in Europe, he said. U.S. security officials alerted the airlines and governments involved and it was up to them whether to cancel the flights or step up in-flight security, he said.

After he spoke, Air France canceled two Paris-Washington flights.

In the latest cancellations during a jittery period for the global airline industry since before Christmas, British Airways said it had called off flight BA223 to Washington on Sunday and Monday. Sunday's BA 207 flight to Miami was also canceled.

Intelligence information raising fears of a new Sept. 11-style attack led to the cancellation of several international BA flights last month at the request of the U.S. authorities.

"We have received threat reporting that indicates al Qaeda's desire to target these particular flights," the U.S. official said in Washington.

The al Qaeda network led by Osama bin Laden is blamed by Washington for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States that killed more than 3,000 people.

[dawn53]

I'll be glad when the Super Bowl is over. I always get the creeps about the Super Bowl, especially since terrorists seem to have a liking for Tom Clancy plots.