Updated March 21, 2003
The reaction to the conflict in Iraq has been swift in the air travel industry. Travel agents are promoting destinations that are 'closer to home', and airlines are limiting their flights to certain parts of the world. These moves indicate that airlines are facing the reality of flying during war times, and the continued threat of financial peril resulting from less passengers, rising fuel prices and an unstable global environment.
Not every airline has had to cancel flights, but all face the volatility of an air travel market unhinged by an uncertain global climate. Here are some of the airlines and flights that are now affected by war in Iraq:
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Continental Airlines - Flights chopped due to lower demand.
- Reduction of flights effective April 6th until May 1st, from Newark to London and Paris. Changes to London service also involve Houston and Cleveland airports.
- Using smaller aircraft for Amsterdam and Rome.
- Daily service to Tokyo from Newark now operates four times a week, down from daily service through April 24. -
United Airlines - Plans to cut its flights by approximately capacity by 10% in the event of war, due to reduced bookings.
- Employees may be subject to wage cuts, as United plans to reassess its position on a daily basis during the war with Iraq.