BA flight cancelled over terrorism fears

A second British Airways flight in as many days has been cancelled amid security fears.

A second British Airways flight in as many days has been cancelled amid security fears.

Heathrow flight BA263 to Riyadh is the latest cancellation; the airline's flight to Washington was postponed yesterday.

The move follows fears raised by United States intelligence of terror attacks on transatlantic flights and plans to install armed air marshals.

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

READ MORE

Following the announcement of the latest cancellations, the United States intelligence service was accused of "jumping at shadows".

Mr 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 British government to check out information from the United States that is leading to so many flight cancellations.

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 29th that airlines would be required to place armed law enforcement officers on flights to the United States "where necessary".