BA Cancels Saudi Flights

bits44 · Post by **bits44** » 11 Jan 2005, 14:14

BA Cancels Saudi Flights
http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1105436629.html

regi · Post by **regi** » 11 Jan 2005, 20:11

so it is about the money. Not enough profit.
After all the emirates, etihad, qatar, gulf air and other cheap newcomers with very flexible personnel politics, I would not be surprised to see a saudi low cost airline pop up.
With an immediate connection to LGW or LHR.

CAI1 · Post by **CAI1** » 11 Jan 2005, 22:28

That's life. I remember that demand between 1974-1982 was so great, they could not keep up adding new flights. Ticket prices out of Saudi Arabis and the Gulf countries were the most expensive and in some instances, they used to run out of first class before economy. One thrid of the seats on SAUDIA were first class ... it was a big cash cow.

Advisor · Post by **Advisor** » 12 Jan 2005, 11:48

This is what i heard:

British Airways will suspend service on routes from London's Heathrow to Jeddah and Riyadh from March 27th. The airline says this is due to a reduced passenger demand. BA currently operates 4 flights a week to Jeddah and 3 flights a week to Riyadh.

Post by **Bruspotter** » 12 Jan 2005, 15:07

Hello

Maybe Kuwait airways and Saudi Arabian airlines have now more
pax. They might be very reliable and well known for their services now,
so that more and more pax. choose those airliners.

BA could also have tried to do the route with less pax. with another type.
By example the B757-200. They could make a stop in Tel-Aviv or something like that maybe. Maybe that could have been a possibility.

Anyway , it can only be better for Saudia and Kuwait airways.

Best regards:Yannick

CAI1 · Post by **CAI1** » 12 Jan 2005, 15:44

Bruspotter wrote: They could make a stop in Tel-Aviv or something like that maybe. Maybe that could have been a possibility.

Stopover on the way in TLV? ... absol(double)utely impossible

Post by **Bruspotter** » 12 Jan 2005, 15:49

Hello!

Welcome aboard CAI1! I hope you like it here.

Well , why is it such a stupid idea to stop at Tel-Aviv. Just as a fuel stop.
Because the 757 don't reach Kuwait or Jeddah neater Riadh.

Best regards: Yannick

CAI1 · Post by **CAI1** » 12 Jan 2005, 16:33

Bruspotter wrote:Hello!

Welcome aboard CAI1! I hope you like it here.

Well , why is it such a stupid idea to stop at Tel-Aviv. Just as a fuel stop.
Because the 757 don't reach Kuwait or Jeddah neater Riadh.
Best regards: Yannick

Thanks for the welcome.
Briefly without turning this into a political debate:
Most of the Arab governments + the Iranian one are using Israel as an object of hate in order to distract their own populations from the disasterous socio-economic situation in their own countries. Any attempt to make TLV as a stopping point, even overflying Israel will be killed in the bud with lots of noise. This is the how the governments here in the middle east extend their otherwise expired shelf life.

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 12 Jan 2005, 16:33

Security is costly.
Not only does the aircraft have to be secured, but also the crews.
And for people who want to travel to the KSA, there are many alternatives even with BA flying to the closest neighers of the kingdom..

Notice there are also NO american airlines flying into the KSA.
If more western airlines would stop their operations, this might also may be an indication the 'allies' might hit the extremists in the kingdom.

Condoleza should know by now.... KSA has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (25% of the proved reserves).And these reserves will only last some 25 years. So time is short....

The KSA has a population of some 25,800,000, of which 5,600,000 non-nationals including some 240,000 refugees from the Palestinian Territories. None of them can vote: there are no elections. And there are no political parties either, but dangerous extremists.

Its flag shows the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God (Allah); Muhammad is the Messenger of God (Allah) ") above a white horizontal saber.

CAI1 · Post by **CAI1** » 12 Jan 2005, 17:11

Some of the reasons for service termination are:
1- Western embassies in the middle east are giving less and less visas--tourist visas included-- to the locals mainly bescause of security concerns.
2- Unstable security situation forced business people to travel only when they MUST.
3- Instantaneous modes of communications such as intertnet, cell phones made business travelling less frequent.
4- New comers such as Emirates, Etihad took part of the traffic pie.

I remember some years ago when CAI-NYC route was 12X weekly, served by TWA and Egyptair. Now there are only 4X served by Egyptair and they are hard pressed to fill the seats.

Post by **Bruspotter** » 12 Jan 2005, 19:57

Hello

AHA!!!! I didn't know that CAI1!

Any attempt to make TLV as a stopping point, even overflying Israel will be killed in the bud with lots of noise. This is the how the governments here in the middle east extend their otherwise expired shelf life.

Now i understand it , thanks for the info. I didn't know that it was already THAT WORSE in Israel.

Best regards: Yannick

Advisor · Post by **Advisor** » 13 Jan 2005, 09:13

Reasons for termination given by CAI1 give me the jitters, Sad, but true.