British Airways suspends flights to Saudi Arabia

Terrorism threats return to air travel

It seems that the airlines continue to be a target for terrorism. The latest brings British Airways suspending flights to Saudi Arabia after a plot to use one of their aircraft in an act of terrorism surfaced. After a year of SARS and the war in Iraq, terrorism returns to damage the recovery of air travel. These are turbulent times.

What happened?

British Airways suspended flights to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, August 13 due to possible security issues.

What security issues caused the cancelation of flights?

On the heels of Saudi officials stating that they discovered and stopped a terrorist plot where an attack was planned against a British target in Saudi Arabia, the U.K. government announced that it had received information of a threat to British aviation in Saudi Arabia. Although the government of the U.K. has not fully elaborated on what information they received, the flights were suspended out of security concerns.

Who was planning the terrorist act?

It is believed that an al Qaeda cell has been operating in Saudi Arabia and was planning to carry out a terrorist act against a British Airways flight.

Travel advisories are in effect for travel to Saudi Arabia, with particular concerns for U.K. and American nationals.