Seven more flights have just been grounded. Could this be connected with threats made by terrorists some time ago to mount a major attack around the time of the Hajj? This from Fox News:
Just one day after U.S. officials expressed renewed security concerns over flights from London and Paris bound for the U.S., British Airways has canceled five flights headed for Washington, D.C., and Miami, and two Air France flights from Paris to Washington were also canceled.
Three flights leaving Heathrow Airport were grounded for security reasons and two return flights to London have also been canceled because the aircraft will not be needed there, the airline said Saturday.
A U.S. official said an Al Qaeda threat was behind the decision to cancel flights, according to a Reuters report.
Flight 223 to Washington’s Dulles airport will not fly on Sunday or Monday, but is to depart on schedule at 3:05 p.m. Saturday, said an airline spokeswoman.
Flight 207 to Miami will not fly on Sunday, she said, but had departed Saturday morning.
The spokeswoman, who declined to be identified, said BA had canceled the flights 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.
In Washington, a Homeland Security Department spokesperson confirmed the decision to cancel the flights was made by British Airways. This official could not immediately provide more information about why the flights were canceled, or the source of the intelligence that led to the cancellations.