Anger and confusion at BA terror grounding

By Jonathan Duffy
BBC News Online at Heathrow Airport

For the second time this summer British Airways has had to ground flights following government advice its airliners risk being targeted by terrorists. Passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia were forced to seek alternate routes. BBC News Online spoke to some of those affected.

News was slow to filter through to the passengers who had arrived early at Heathrow's Terminal 4, expecting to travel to Jeddah.

Flight BA133 is grounded

Outside, rolling news channels were running big with the story that British Airways had cancelled all flights forthwith to Saudi Arabia, citing a threat of terrorist action.

But more than an hour after the news had broken, the flight information screens on the departure level at Terminal 4 were more circumspect.

Sandwiched between evening flights to Paris, Charles De Gaulle and to Nairobi, the information alongside flight BA133 to Jeddah reads simply, "Please Wait".

Mohammed Rauf Khan, had arrived in plenty of time for the start of a pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca, having travelled down from his home town of Bradford.

"I'm very upset. I think they could have said something beforehand. It's not right that I should find this out from a journalist," he says.

Quickly the financial ramifications become weigh on his mind. Mr Khan, who has made the four-hour trip to Heathrow by taxi, fears how much he might lose due to BA's sudden grounding of his flight.

Many passengers had not heard of the cancellation

Excluding the air fare - which BA have promised to refund all passengers - he had paid almost £1,000 on accommodation, taxi fares, visas and other expenses.

"I only booked the trip on Friday. I've worked hard to make this money and now I think I might not see it again." says Mr Khan, 36, a restaurant worker.

"I think British Airways are too frightened. Anyone could make a telephone call and make a threat and then, suddenly, the world is in chaos."

Behind the security cordon in the departure lounge, wait 16 of Mr Khan's fellow travellers, who had flown from Manchester and are expecting their connection to Jeddah.

They also have not heard the news it seems, and only find out when Mr Khan calls one of the party, Dalib Hussain, on his mobile.

I think we should have been told already. I'm waiting here with four people over 75 and three children under seven. We are all going to have to turn back [home] Jeddah-bound passenger Dalib Hussain

"There's been no announcement here," says Mr Hussein, 62, who touched down at Heathrow at 1425BST. "I think we should have been told already," he says.

"I'm waiting here with four people over 75 and three children under seven. We are all going to have to turn back. We are due to get a connecting flight from Jeddah to Medina. Will we be refunded for this as well?"

Hoping to avoid scenes of mass disappointment, British Airways says it is trying to reach as many passengers as possible by telephone, before they set out for the airport.

"We are not expecting a high turnout," says a spokeswoman.

No additional staff had been drafted in to deal with disappointed passengers who did arrive on the scene. Instead, check-in staff will take care of any problems.

The airline has promised to re-book, re-route or refund and passengers caught out.

One female passenger, in transit from Toronto, was hoping to take advantage of this offer, by hurriedly arranging a flight to Lahore in Pakistan.

Letters explain BA's decision

"I first heard about it from husband who works at Jeddah airport," says the woman, who is travelling with her 11-year-old son.

"He said it was 50-50 whether the flight would happen. Now I'm trying to get my bags so I can book a flight to Pakistan at 8.30 this evening. From there, I'll get a connection to Jeddah."

Slowly, news of BA's drastic decision starts to seep through to those arriving at the terminal. A BA staff member is distributing discreet apology letters. But the public address system makes no mention of the drastic action, leaving passengers bound for other destinations blissfully unaware.