JEDDAH, 5 September 2003 — British Airways intends to resume flights to Saudi Arabia, suspended on Aug. 13 over security concerns, the Saudi Press Agency said yesterday.
Citing a joint statement by the British airliner and the Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority, the report said BA had ascertained that security measures at Saudi airports surpassed even international standards.
“British Airways asked the head of civil aviation (for clearance) to resume flights, and he secured the approval of higher authorities,” it added.
The statement did not say when British Airways would resume flights, suspended after the discovery of what US officials described as a plot by terrorists to attack planes at Riyadh’s main airport.
But sources at BA’s offices in Jeddah said normal service would resume early next week. Interior Minister Prince Naif said at the time of the suspension that the Kingdom had no “specific information” on a plot to attack commercial aircraft at King Khaled International Airport.
