BA cuts transatlantic flights

British Airways is scrapping or suspending 190 services, including 36 flights to America, after the US terror attacks.

Services between London Heathrow and Belfast, which have lost £38m over the past four years, are to be withdrawn and BA's operating base at Belfast International Airport is to close.

The changes follow last week's announcement by BA that 7,000 jobs are to be cut, and capacity reduced by 10%, because of the impact on demand following the September 11 outrage.

David Spurlock, BA's director of strategy, says: "The current difficult market conditions demand we take firm action. Our focus has to be on making best use of our assets."

No mention has been made of any delay to the planned resumption of Concorde services, earmarked for next month.

The changes mean a reduction in flights from Heathrow to New York from six to five a day; services from Heathrow to Boston will be reduced from three to two a day; while flights to Washington will be cut from 19 to 14 a week.

The daily London Gatwick to New York service will be suspended; and Gatwick services to San Diego and Houston will be reduced.

Flights from Heathrow to Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Jeddah and Kuwait will also be scaled back, while the suspension of the Islamabad service will continue.

Services from Gatwick to Stockholm, Zurich, Gdansk, Shannon, Cork, Gothenburg, Rotterdam and Montpellier will be suspended, and there will be cuts in flights to other European destinations.

The Gatwick-Lyon service will transfer to Heathrow, while the Heathrow-Bologna service will switch to Gatwick.