British Airways Suspends Cairo Flights for Seven Days
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here are some actual details from various governments, which would have been all that was required to keep the customers sufficiently abreast of why their flights were cancelled and their travel plans put into disarray:
Flights to Cairo suspended by British Airways and Lufthansa
The British government released updated travel advice for Egypt on Friday, warning against nonessential trips to most of the Sinai Peninsula and the area west of the Nile Valley and saying that travellers to Cairo should be cautious, too.
"There's a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation," the government said.
"There's a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation," the government said.
A US State Department travel warning on Friday also described "risks to civil aviation operating within or in the vicinity of Egypt," as well as "threats from terrorist and violent political opposition groups."
BA ( and Lufty) are dealing with the paying public who can choose whether to fly with them in the future or not.
BA are cancelling flights for a whole week, disrupting hundreds of people's travelling plans. There is also the minor issue that the media will be over this like a rash.
IMO BA ( and it appears Lufty) simply had to say something a bit more than " we've cancelled all flights for a week and we are not telling you why."
Looking at the BA letter upthread it says in part they "constantly review (our) security arrangements.." and then goes on to talk about further assessments.
That looks like suitably crafted lawyer speak which is close to being as vague and non-specific as you can get...
BA are cancelling flights for a whole week, disrupting hundreds of people's travelling plans. There is also the minor issue that the media will be over this like a rash.
IMO BA ( and it appears Lufty) simply had to say something a bit more than " we've cancelled all flights for a week and we are not telling you why."
Looking at the BA letter upthread it says in part they "constantly review (our) security arrangements.." and then goes on to talk about further assessments.
That looks like suitably crafted lawyer speak which is close to being as vague and non-specific as you can get...
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No it won't but it would make the situation much more bearable - just like the tube handling of the station closure. Just like an announcement when a flight is late when to expect a new time for boarding.
What more do you need to know past "we have a credible threat"?
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester
Age: 45
Posts: 615
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Airlines don't just cancel flights on a whim.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester
Age: 45
Posts: 615
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So if I call you up and ask for your name, bank account number and DOB for "security purposes" that's OK? I'm only trying to help after all.
The idea of security is to gather as much information as you can. Not give it away.
Last edited by Ex Cargo Clown; 21st Jul 2019 at 09:39.
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
According to Tagesschau (German public news) Lufthansa has now resumed flights to Cairo. Speculation (from them) is that LH stopped flying out of solidarity with BA but there is still no official answer.
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: The Midlands
Age: 39
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Simon Calder has made a valid point in the media this morning, that what ever it is that BA have learned, it is specific to them, and specific to Cairo Airport. Even more so that Lufty have resumed their normal flight schedule, no other airlines are affected and that Egyptair continues to operate it's twice daily to Heathrow.
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I guess we are lucky that the media has no issues finding out what is going on and letting the public know.
Unlike a few petty officials who think it somehow makes them more important if they don't let the people they are affecting what's going on. These petty officials really need to be weeded out of their current area of authority, and put somewhere they can't cause damage to their companies/airlines with un-necessary negative decisions/publicity.
The most important thing is that BA have responded to an apparent threat. There really is nothing to be gained by making public the full details, and as has already been pointed out it may even give the alleged perpetrators a head start on the authorities.
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: EDSP
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Given that situation it would have been helpful to know if it is a thread specific to the airline, the route, the airport in Kairo, the airspace in egypt or the general security situation in egypt.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Egypt
Age: 73
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BA Staff Egypt Comments
"......it’s now been confirmed that from July 9 right through until July 19 inclusive (July 10-20 for the return legs), a short-haul A321 neo will be operating London-Cairo", in the place of the usual B787 due to their ongoing Trent engine problems. This seriously downgraded service (especially in terms of pax numbers) was due to end yesterday.
The article in Egypt Today dated 21.7.2019 appears relevant (sorry I'm not allowed to post links yet but it's easy to find, just search 'Egypt Today British Airways') but can anyone comment on the veracity of the contents?
The article in Egypt Today dated 21.7.2019 appears relevant (sorry I'm not allowed to post links yet but it's easy to find, just search 'Egypt Today British Airways') but can anyone comment on the veracity of the contents?
Last edited by bestmix; 24th Jul 2019 at 08:46. Reason: Additional Information
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cloud Cookoo Land
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
People on here demanding reasons to why? People can't profess to know how the likes of the Foreign Office & MI6 (along with their German equivalent) obtain and disseminate sensitive information. I'd be suprised if BA actually know the full extent of it. However I'm pretty certain it would have been a very real and credible threat in order for all parties to act this way. Thankfully we have such agencies in place, to my mind if they say act then people should do it. There's no need to be acutely specific, not in today's world.
Whatever the reason is, it appears to be specific to BA. I would rather be safe than sorry. The issue could be one of many things - planes, airport, hotels for crew, crew transportation, just about anything! It gives BA scheduling a week's relief from their issues finding enough planes to do the Cairo run.
