BA facing backlash as airline axes flights to two of UK’s key allies in Middle East

By Grace Piercy, News Reporter

British Airways has axed flights to 2 countries successful the Middle East (Image: Getty)

British Airways is facing backlash aft axing flights to 2 of the UK’s cardinal allies successful the Middle East.

The hose announced it was nary longer doing nonstop flights to Bahrain and Kuwait - a determination that has been branded “madness” by section officials.

BA said that flights to the 2 Gulf states were nary longer commercially viable, lone presently moving 1 formation a time to each capital.

The determination has sparked concerns that the UK’s power could beryllium reduced portion besides straining relations with determination allies. Bahrain is location to a Royal Navy base astatine the Mina Salman Port.

Dr Liam Fox, defence caput nether David Cameron, told the Mail that the determination would nonstop “totally the incorrect message” astir the UK’s diplomatic intentions and would harm UK concern interests successful the countries.

Bahrain and Kuwait presently lone spot 1 formation a time from BA (Image: Getty)

“At a clip erstwhile the Gulf is becoming overmuch much important geopolitically and we are attempting to negociate caller commercialized agreements successful the region, this would beryllium a stroke to UK PLC,” helium said. “It’s the worst imaginable determination astatine the worst imaginable time.”

Former Tory person Sir Iain Duncan Smith has called connected the Government to measurement successful to effort to defuse the increasing diplomatic crisis. “BA is simply a backstage institution and it is their eventual decision,” helium said. “But determination indispensable beryllium a mode for the Government to remediate this.”

Bahraini officials are besides said to beryllium angered by the information that they were not consulted by BA earlier it decided to scrap the routes.

A root adjacent to the Bahraini authorities said: “It’s madness erstwhile you person a British Navy basal present and with the spot of the relationship.”

In a statement, BA said: “We’re disappointed that we’ve had to marque further changes to our docket arsenic we proceed to acquisition delays to the transportation of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce.”

“We’ve taken this enactment due to the fact that we bash not judge the contented volition beryllium solved quickly, and we privation to connection our customers the certainty they merit for their question plans.”

The Bahrain Airport Company said determination had been “no discussion” astir the decision, and portion it was “disappointed” it hoped BA would “reassess”.