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CNN Live At Daybreak
British Airways Flights Canceled
Aired February 12, 2004 - 05:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get right live to London now. We told you earlier about the British Airways canceling two flights out of London into the United States, actually, one flight from London to Washington, the other from London to Saudi Arabia.
Let's head live to London now and check in with Walter Rodgers to find out more.
Hello, Walter, what can you tell us?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, first, British Airways has apologized to its passengers for the cancellation of these flights. These are not today flights, by the way. The flight to Washington, BA223, that leaves about 15:15 in the afternoon from Heathrow, is for this coming Sunday. So that flight has been canceled.
Also, BA canceled Flight 263, another major route, London Heathrow to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Now of course Riyadh has -- Saudi Arabia has been the site of more than a few terrorist acts. Al Qaeda has clearly tried to destabilize and embarrass the current Saudi government, the Saudi ruling family, with numerous bomb attacks recently.
And of course the flight to Washington is one of BA's main routes. It's very important because it extends between the British and the American capitals. The British, obviously, are acting upon intelligence information either they are getting independently or from the United States.
There is some question as to just how reliable this information is at this point. But of course the airlines could take absolutely no chances with the passengers at all, so they simply canceled this Sunday's flight, 1500 hours in the afternoon, 223, Heathrow to Washington Dulles, and then this coming Monday's flight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It certainly throws a spanner in the works of the airline industry again. Recall this particular flight to Washington, 223, has been hit at least half a dozen times with delays and cancellations, security threats, security alerts since the 31st of December of last year -- Carol.
COSTELLO: What significance is Flight 223? Do we know that -- Walter?
RODGERS: Well any flight between -- it's a flagship route for British Airways. It flies between the British capital and Washington, D.C. And if I remember correctly, if it's the flight I usually take, it's usually a jumbo, a 747, which, of course, is the queen of the air. And when it's headed for Washington, any possible threat to the American capital is one that simply can not be chanced any more than you can take risks with the lives of passengers. But that particular flight, as I say, has been targeted repeatedly. Suspicions sometimes, loose suspicions, others perhaps more accurate that somebody was trying to board that plane and turn it in to another flying bomb -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Walter Rodgers live from London, many thanks to you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 12, 2004 - 05:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get right live to London now. We told you earlier about the British Airways canceling two flights out of London into the United States, actually, one flight from London to Washington, the other from London to Saudi Arabia.
Let's head live to London now and check in with Walter Rodgers to find out more.
Hello, Walter, what can you tell us?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, first, British Airways has apologized to its passengers for the cancellation of these flights. These are not today flights, by the way. The flight to Washington, BA223, that leaves about 15:15 in the afternoon from Heathrow, is for this coming Sunday. So that flight has been canceled.
Also, BA canceled Flight 263, another major route, London Heathrow to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Now of course Riyadh has -- Saudi Arabia has been the site of more than a few terrorist acts. Al Qaeda has clearly tried to destabilize and embarrass the current Saudi government, the Saudi ruling family, with numerous bomb attacks recently.
And of course the flight to Washington is one of BA's main routes. It's very important because it extends between the British and the American capitals. The British, obviously, are acting upon intelligence information either they are getting independently or from the United States.
There is some question as to just how reliable this information is at this point. But of course the airlines could take absolutely no chances with the passengers at all, so they simply canceled this Sunday's flight, 1500 hours in the afternoon, 223, Heathrow to Washington Dulles, and then this coming Monday's flight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It certainly throws a spanner in the works of the airline industry again. Recall this particular flight to Washington, 223, has been hit at least half a dozen times with delays and cancellations, security threats, security alerts since the 31st of December of last year -- Carol.
COSTELLO: What significance is Flight 223? Do we know that -- Walter?
RODGERS: Well any flight between -- it's a flagship route for British Airways. It flies between the British capital and Washington, D.C. And if I remember correctly, if it's the flight I usually take, it's usually a jumbo, a 747, which, of course, is the queen of the air. And when it's headed for Washington, any possible threat to the American capital is one that simply can not be chanced any more than you can take risks with the lives of passengers. But that particular flight, as I say, has been targeted repeatedly. Suspicions sometimes, loose suspicions, others perhaps more accurate that somebody was trying to board that plane and turn it in to another flying bomb -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Walter Rodgers live from London, many thanks to you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
