JEDDAH, 23 March 2003 — There is a discernible downswing in activities across the Kingdom in the wake of the war in Iraq.

Scheduled programs are being dropped or put on the backburner.

The British International School (Continental) suspended its classes for two days.

A four-day Middle East Education and Training Exhibition & Symposium (MEETES) has been postponed.

“We’ve decided to postpone the event in the context of the prevailing situation in the region and in consideration of the wishes of some of our exhibitors,” Zahoor Siddique, office manager of the Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions Ltd., told Arab News yesterday.

“All of my clients who represent the private sector, who would normally have been active at this time of year, have postponed their activities until after the war,” an executive in a leading advertising and PR company said.

While airlines in Riyadh and the Eastern Province have reported a big increase in passenger loads, international carriers in Jeddah say their loads are low in keeping with the current low season for travel.

“Our schedules are normal despite the hostilities but the current period is a low season with schools working normally and summer vacation still far ahead,” an Air-India spokesman said.

Gulf Air, which operates daily flights from Saudi Arabia, has announced that it is operating normally. “At the most, we expect a minimal disruption to our flights,” the airline’s president and chief executive said.

The airline’s eastbound flights from Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Muscat have all been unaffected. European flights, including those to London, Paris and Frankfurt, are also expected to remain unaffected. Singapore Airlines, with weekly operations from Jeddah, has implemented plans to avoid the conflict zone and ensure the continuation of its services.

The Bahrain International Rally, part of the 2003 Middle East Rally Championship, due to be held for three days this month, has been postponed. “The decision to postpone the event is no surprise,” Rally Director Elie Samaan said. The Marlboro Peugeot Saudi Arabian driver, Abdullah Bakhashab, said he agreed with the decision to postpone the event, given the current situation.