The Pound Is a Brexit Barometer. It’s Not Looking Great Right Now. - The New York Times

The Pound Is a Brexit Barometer. It’s Not Looking Great Right Now.

By Amie Tsang

$1.48 Britain votes to leave the European Union by a narrow margin.

$1.40 E.U. and British negotiators agree on terms for a smooth transition.

$1.45

$1.29 Prime Minister Theresa May says that Britain may cut important economic ties with the E.U.

$1.32 A series of resignations rattles Mrs. May’s cabinet.

$1.29 Mrs. May’s party loses loses its majority in Parliament.

$1.26 Mrs. May postpones the first vote on Brexit deal.

1.40

$1.27 Mrs. May says she will step down, reviving fears of a no-deal Brexit.

$1.24 Departure process officially begins, starting a two-year deadline.

1.35

1.30

1.25

$1.25

The British pound in dollars

1.20

Jul ’16

Oct ’16

Jan ’17

Apr ’17

Jul ’17

Oct ’17

Jan ’18

Apr ’18

Jul ’18

Oct ’18

Jan ’19

Apr ’19

Jul ’19

$1.48 Britain votes to leave the European Union by a narrow margin.

$1.40 E.U. and British negotiators agree on terms for a smooth transiton.

$1.29 Prime Minister Theresa May says that Britain may cut important economic ties with the E.U.

$1.32 A series of resignations rattles Mrs. May’s cabinet.

$1.45

$1.26 Mrs. May postpones the first vote on Brexit deal.

$1.29 Mrs. May’s party loses loses its majority in Parliament.

1.40

$1.27 Mrs. May says she will step down, reviving fears of a no-deal Brexit.

$1.24 Departure process officially begins, starting a two-year deadline.

1.35

1.30

1.25

$1.25

The British pound in dollars

1.20

Jul ’16

Jan ’17

Jul ’17

Jan ’18

Jul ’18

Jan ’19

Jul ’19

1.25

1.40

$1.20

1.30

1.35

1.45

Jul ’16

$1.48 Britain votes to leave the European Union by a narrow margin.

Oct ’16

$1.29 Prime Minister Theresa May saysthat Britain may cut important economic ties with the E.U.

Jan ’17

$1.24 Departure process officially begins, starting a two-year deadline.

Apr ’17

$1.29 Mrs. May’s party loses loses its majority in Parliament.

Jul ’17

Oct ’17

$1.40 E.U. and British negotiators agree on terms for smooth transition.

Jan ’18

The British pound

in dollars

Apr ’18

Jul ’18

$1.32 A series of resignations rattles Mrs. May’s cabinet.

Oct ’18

$1.26 Mrs. May postpones the first vote on Brexit deal.

Jan ’19

Apr ’19

$1.27 Mrs. May says she will step down, reviving fears of a no-deal Brexit.

Jul ’19

$1.25

1.25

1.40

$1.20

1.30

1.35

1.45

Jul ’16

$1.48 Britain votes to leave the European Union by a narrow margin.

Oct ’16

$1.29 Prime Minister Theresa May saysthat Britain may cut important economic ties with the E.U.

Jan ’17

$1.24 Departure process officially begins, starting a two-year deadline.

Apr ’17

$1.29 Mrs. May’s party loses loses its majority in Parliament.

Jul ’17

Oct ’17

$1.40 E.U. and British negotiators agree on terms for smooth transition.

Jan ’18

The British pound

in dollars

Apr ’18

Jul ’18

$1.32 A series of resignations rattles Mrs. May’s cabinet.

Oct ’18

$1.26 Mrs. May postpones the first vote on Brexit deal.

Jan ’19

Apr ’19

$1.27 Mrs. May says she will step down, reviving fears of a no-deal Brexit.

Jul ’19

$1.25

Note: Data through July 19.

Source: Refinitiv

By The New York Times

Britain’s currency sank to a two-year low last week, dipping below $1.24 as fears of a no-deal Brexit grew. Long seen as a symbol of Britain’s stability and national pride, the pound has in recent years become a barometer for concerns about the country and its departure from the European Union.

A cheaper pound could invite more foreign investment and tourism, but it could also hurt the country’s ability to buy goods from other places, especially at a time when it will need to negotiate trade treaties.

The currency’s fluctuations look set to continue. On Tuesday, the successor to the current prime minister, Theresa May, will be announced. If Boris Johnson, a hard-line Brexit supporter, is chosen, that raises new questions about how smooth the country’s exit will be.

Why is the pound so low now?

Since May, when the beleaguered prime minister announced that she would be stepping down, the prospect of Britain crashing out of the European Union — leaving without an agreement on the terms of divorce — has started to look more likely.

That has been hurting the pound: Many in Britain fear that a so-called no-deal Brexit would create chaos, and Britain’s Office for Budget Responsibility said last week that it would cause a 30 billion pound hit to public finances.

On Thursday, British lawmakers passed a measure intended to prevent the next prime minister from suspending Parliament and forcing through a no-deal Brexit. (Mr. Johnson had hinted he might take such a step.) Still, the uncertainty over the next few months is likely to drive down the pound.

The pound is about 15 percent lower than it was just before the vote to leave. But it is still above the lows it hit in January 2017, when Ms. May suggested that Britain might leave the E.U. without firm agreements. The prospect of losing tariff-free access to Europe’s single markets and the continued uncertainty about the terms of Britain’s departure caused the currency to plunge.

Analysts say the pound could go as low as $1.10. Last week, analysts at Morgan Stanley even raised the possibility that if Britain crashed out of the European Union, the pound could reach parity with the dollar.

Why is sterling a Brexit barometer?

Though the pound is viewed as a symbol of the country’s independence, it has at times been beholden to international events.

Plunges in the value of sterling have cast long shadows. The financial crisis in 2008 prompted it to plummet. The day that Britain had to withdraw the pound from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992 is known as Black Wednesday. In 1976, Britain had to ask the International Monetary Fund for a loan after the pound dropped below $2.

At the same time, many of the companies on Britain’s benchmark equities index, the FTSE 100, make a lot of their money overseas. So their stocks rise when the pound gets weaker, as the money they make is worth more in pounds.

With all the uncertainty about Brexit, Britain itself feels less steady. And the pound reflects that, complicating the jobs of currency analysts. “In the past, people would assume the U.K. government was relatively stable,” said Lee Hardman, a currency analyst at MUFG, the Japanese bank. But events like Brexit and the election of President Trump created much more global uncertainty.

“Brexit risk is the dominant driver,” he said.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/22/business/britain-pound-brexit.html

2019-07-22 10:53:04Z
52780336690075

The Pound Is a Brexit Barometer. It’s Not Looking Great Right Now. - The New York Times

The Pound Is a Brexit Barometer. It’s Not Looking Great Right Now.

By Amie Tsang

$1.48 Britain votes to leave the European Union by a narrow margin.

$1.40 E.U. and British negotiators agree on terms for a smooth transition.

$1.45

$1.29 Prime Minister Theresa May says that Britain may cut important economic ties with the E.U.

$1.32 A series of resignations rattles Mrs. May’s cabinet.

$1.29 Mrs. May’s party loses loses its majority in Parliament.

$1.26 Mrs. May postpones the first vote on Brexit deal.

1.40

$1.27 Mrs. May says she will step down, reviving fears of a no-deal Brexit.

$1.24 Departure process officially begins, starting a two-year deadline.

1.35

1.30

1.25

$1.25

The British pound in dollars

1.20

Jul ’16

Oct ’16

Jan ’17

Apr ’17

Jul ’17

Oct ’17

Jan ’18

Apr ’18

Jul ’18

Oct ’18

Jan ’19

Apr ’19

Jul ’19

$1.48 Britain votes to leave the European Union by a narrow margin.

$1.40 E.U. and British negotiators agree on terms for a smooth transiton.

$1.29 Prime Minister Theresa May says that Britain may cut important economic ties with the E.U.

$1.32 A series of resignations rattles Mrs. May’s cabinet.

$1.45

$1.26 Mrs. May postpones the first vote on Brexit deal.

$1.29 Mrs. May’s party loses loses its majority in Parliament.

1.40

$1.27 Mrs. May says she will step down, reviving fears of a no-deal Brexit.

$1.24 Departure process officially begins, starting a two-year deadline.

1.35

1.30

1.25

$1.25

The British pound in dollars

1.20

Jul ’16

Jan ’17

Jul ’17

Jan ’18

Jul ’18

Jan ’19

Jul ’19

1.25

1.40

$1.20

1.30

1.35

1.45

Jul ’16

$1.48 Britain votes to leave the European Union by a narrow margin.

Oct ’16

$1.29 Prime Minister Theresa May saysthat Britain may cut important economic ties with the E.U.

Jan ’17

$1.24 Departure process officially begins, starting a two-year deadline.

Apr ’17

$1.29 Mrs. May’s party loses loses its majority in Parliament.

Jul ’17

Oct ’17

$1.40 E.U. and British negotiators agree on terms for smooth transition.

Jan ’18

The British pound

in dollars

Apr ’18

Jul ’18

$1.32 A series of resignations rattles Mrs. May’s cabinet.

Oct ’18

$1.26 Mrs. May postpones the first vote on Brexit deal.

Jan ’19

Apr ’19

$1.27 Mrs. May says she will step down, reviving fears of a no-deal Brexit.

Jul ’19

$1.25

1.25

1.40

$1.20

1.30

1.35

1.45

Jul ’16

$1.48 Britain votes to leave the European Union by a narrow margin.

Oct ’16

$1.29 Prime Minister Theresa May saysthat Britain may cut important economic ties with the E.U.

Jan ’17

$1.24 Departure process officially begins, starting a two-year deadline.

Apr ’17

$1.29 Mrs. May’s party loses loses its majority in Parliament.

Jul ’17

Oct ’17

$1.40 E.U. and British negotiators agree on terms for smooth transition.

Jan ’18

The British pound

in dollars

Apr ’18

Jul ’18

$1.32 A series of resignations rattles Mrs. May’s cabinet.

Oct ’18

$1.26 Mrs. May postpones the first vote on Brexit deal.

Jan ’19

Apr ’19

$1.27 Mrs. May says she will step down, reviving fears of a no-deal Brexit.

Jul ’19

$1.25

Note: Data through July 19.

Source: Refinitiv

By The New York Times

Britain’s currency sank to a two-year low last week, dipping below $1.24 as fears of a no-deal Brexit grew. Long seen as a symbol of Britain’s stability and national pride, the pound has in recent years become a barometer for concerns about the country and its departure from the European Union.

A cheaper pound could invite more foreign investment and tourism, but it could also hurt the country’s ability to buy goods from other places, especially at a time when it will need to negotiate trade treaties.

The currency’s fluctuations look set to continue. On Tuesday, the successor to the current prime minister, Theresa May, will be announced. If Boris Johnson, a hard-line Brexit supporter, is chosen, that raises new questions about how smooth the country’s exit will be.

Why is the pound so low now?

Since May, when the beleaguered prime minister announced that she would be stepping down, the prospect of Britain crashing out of the European Union — leaving without an agreement on the terms of divorce — has started to look more likely.

That has been hurting the pound: Many in Britain fear that a so-called no-deal Brexit would create chaos, and Britain’s Office for Budget Responsibility said last week that it would cause a 30 billion pound hit to public finances.

On Thursday, British lawmakers passed a measure intended to prevent the next prime minister from suspending Parliament and forcing through a no-deal Brexit. (Mr. Johnson had hinted he might take such a step.) Still, the uncertainty over the next few months is likely to drive down the pound.

The pound is about 15 percent lower than it was just before the vote to leave. But it is still above the lows it hit in January 2017, when Ms. May suggested that Britain might leave the E.U. without firm agreements. The prospect of losing tariff-free access to Europe’s single markets and the continued uncertainty about the terms of Britain’s departure caused the currency to plunge.

Analysts say the pound could go as low as $1.10. Last week, analysts at Morgan Stanley even raised the possibility that if Britain crashed out of the European Union, the pound could reach parity with the dollar.

Why is sterling a Brexit barometer?

Though the pound is viewed as a symbol of the country’s independence, it has at times been beholden to international events.

Plunges in the value of sterling have cast long shadows. The financial crisis in 2008 prompted it to plummet. The day that Britain had to withdraw the pound from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992 is known as Black Wednesday. In 1976, Britain had to ask the International Monetary Fund for a loan after the pound dropped below $2.

At the same time, many of the companies on Britain’s benchmark equities index, the FTSE 100, make a lot of their money overseas. So their stocks rise when the pound gets weaker, as the money they make is worth more in pounds.

With all the uncertainty about Brexit, Britain itself feels less steady. And the pound reflects that, complicating the jobs of currency analysts. “In the past, people would assume the U.K. government was relatively stable,” said Lee Hardman, a currency analyst at MUFG, the Japanese bank. But events like Brexit and the election of President Trump created much more global uncertainty.

“Brexit risk is the dominant driver,” he said.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/22/business/britain-pound-brexit.html

2019-07-22 04:03:09Z
52780336690075

British Airways flights to Cairo cancelled - BBC News

British Airways has cancelled all flights to the Egyptian capital Cairo for a week as a security "precaution".

Passengers about to board a BA flight to the city from London's Heathrow Airport were told that it was cancelled - and that there would be no alternative flights for a week.

The airline did not specify what the security issue was.

A spokesman for Cairo airport told the BBC the airport had yet to be notified by BA of any such changes.

A BA spokesman said: "We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world, and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment.

"The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority, and we would never operate an aircraft unless it was safe to do so."

German airline Lufthansa also cancelled flights to Cairo on Saturday. However, flights to the city would resume on Sunday, a spokesman said.

'Handled badly'

Christine Shelbourne, 70, from Surrey was due to go to Cairo for a week on Saturday with her 11-year-old grandson. She said she managed to check into the flight at 1500 (1400 GMT). However, her boarding card wouldn't open the barriers.

She said: "The check-in staff reissued my boarding pass and I tried again but that didn't work either and we were told to try again in half an hour.

"Whether they knew anything I don't know, but my husband told me the flight had been cancelled before they did. There were no suggestions or help from staff about alternative flights."

"My 11-year-old grandson is heartbroken - he's been looking forward to the trip for months. We're just not going now," she added.

"It was handled badly to be honest. My grandson is currently looking for flights for us - he's devastated."

One passenger named Dan said the airline had given customers £5 food vouchers "meant to last 24 hours".

Michael Khalil, 42, from Guildford says he is about £1,200 out of pocket as a result of his flight being cancelled.

He was booked on the flight earlier on Saturday but ran to Terminal 2 and used his own money to book onto another flight.

Mr Khalil works in training and development. He says he has an important business meeting on Monday and told the BBC: "I have no choice. I have to be there."

Safaa Almaghrabi was due to fly to Cairo on 24 July with her husband and six children for her sister's wedding on 26 July.

The 31-year-old says she cannot find any direct flights. When there were some available earlier on Saturday, they were more than £35,000 for the whole family.

She told the BBC: "We contacted British Airways and they had two nonsense solutions. The first was to book us a flight on the 31st July, the earliest flight they can. And this way we'll miss the wedding."

They also offered her a full refund which she says is "really disappointing and unfair."

The only indirect flights she can find are via Dubai, and Jordan which she said "will be horrible for six kids."

She said: "I cannot afford to go but I have to go."

The UK Foreign Office updated its advice for Britons travelling to Egypt.

The advice includes the warning: "There's a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation. Additional security measures are in place for flights departing from Egypt to the UK."

Following the bomb explosion that destroyed a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula in October 2015 after it had departed Sharm El Sheikh airport, the UK was one of a number of countries to temporarily suspend flights to and from the country.

The Foreign Office continues to advise against travel to certain parts of Egypt.

---

Have you been affected by flights to Cairo being cancelled by British Airways? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100
• Please read our terms of use and privacy policy

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49059700

2019-07-21 12:56:39Z
CBMiJGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay00OTA1OTcwMNIBKGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy9hbXAvdWstNDkwNTk3MDA

British Airways flights to Cairo cancelled - BBC News

British Airways has cancelled all flights to the Egyptian capital Cairo for a week as a security "precaution".

Passengers about to board a BA flight to the city from London's Heathrow Airport were told that it was cancelled - and that there would be no alternative flights for a week.

The airline did not specify what the security issue was.

A spokesman for Cairo airport told the BBC the airport had yet to be notified by BA of any such changes.

A BA spokesman said: "We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world, and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment.

"The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority, and we would never operate an aircraft unless it was safe to do so."

German airline Lufthansa also cancelled flights to Cairo on Saturday. However, flights to the city would resume on Sunday, a spokesman said.

'Handled badly'

Christine Shelbourne, 70, from Surrey was due to go to Cairo for a week on Saturday with her 11-year-old grandson. She said she managed to check into the flight at 1500 (1400 GMT). However, her boarding card wouldn't open the barriers.

She said: "The check-in staff reissued my boarding pass and I tried again but that didn't work either and we were told to try again in half an hour.

"Whether they knew anything I don't know, but my husband told me the flight had been cancelled before they did. There were no suggestions or help from staff about alternative flights."

"My 11-year-old grandson is heartbroken - he's been looking forward to the trip for months. We're just not going now," she added.

"It was handled badly to be honest. My grandson is currently looking for flights for us - he's devastated."

One passenger named Dan said the airline had given customers £5 food vouchers "meant to last 24 hours".

Michael Khalil, 42, from Guildford says he is about £1,200 out of pocket as a result of his flight being cancelled.

He was booked on the flight earlier on Saturday but ran to Terminal 2 and used his own money to book onto another flight.

Mr Khalil works in training and development. He says he has an important business meeting on Monday and told the BBC: "I have no choice. I have to be there."

Safaa Almaghrabi was due to fly to Cairo on 24 July with her husband and six children for her sister's wedding on 26 July.

The 31-year-old says she cannot find any direct flights. When there were some available earlier on Saturday, they were more than £35,000 for the whole family.

She told the BBC: "We contacted British Airways and they had two nonsense solutions. The first was to book us a flight on the 31st July, the earliest flight they can. And this way we'll miss the wedding."

They also offered her a full refund which she says is "really disappointing and unfair."

The only indirect flights she can find are via Dubai, and Jordan which she said "will be horrible for six kids."

She said: "I cannot afford to go but I have to go."

The UK Foreign Office updated its advice for Britons travelling to Egypt.

The advice includes the warning: "There's a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation. Additional security measures are in place for flights departing from Egypt to the UK."

Following the bomb explosion that destroyed a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula in October 2015 after it had departed Sharm El Sheikh airport, the UK was one of a number of countries to temporarily suspend flights to and from the country.

The Foreign Office continues to advise against travel to certain parts of Egypt.

---

Have you been affected by flights to Cairo being cancelled by British Airways? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100
• Please read our terms of use and privacy policy

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49059700

2019-07-21 12:14:47Z
CBMiJGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay00OTA1OTcwMNIBKGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy9hbXAvdWstNDkwNTk3MDA

British Airways flights to Cairo cancelled - BBC News

British Airways has cancelled all flights to the Egyptian capital Cairo for a week as a security "precaution".

Passengers about to board a BA flight to the city from London's Heathrow Airport were told that it was cancelled - and that there would be no alternative flights for a week.

The airline did not specify what the security issue was.

A spokesman for Cairo airport told the BBC the airport had yet to be notified by BA of any such changes.

A BA spokesman said: "We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world, and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment.

"The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority, and we would never operate an aircraft unless it was safe to do so."

German airline Lufthansa also cancelled flights to Cairo on Saturday. However, flights to the city would resume on Sunday, a spokesman said.

'Handled badly'

Christine Shelbourne, 70, from Surrey was due to go to Cairo for a week on Saturday with her 11-year-old grandson. She said she managed to check into the flight at 1500 (1400 GMT). However, her boarding card wouldn't open the barriers.

She said: "The check-in staff reissued my boarding pass and I tried again but that didn't work either and we were told to try again in half an hour.

"Whether they knew anything I don't know, but my husband told me the flight had been cancelled before they did. There were no suggestions or help from staff about alternative flights."

"My 11-year-old grandson is heartbroken - he's been looking forward to the trip for months. We're just not going now," she added.

"It was handled badly to be honest. My grandson is currently looking for flights for us - he's devastated."

One passenger named Dan said the airline had given customers £5 food vouchers "meant to last 24 hours".

Michael Khalil, 42, from Guildford says he is about £1,200 out of pocket as a result of his flight being cancelled.

He was booked on the flight earlier on Saturday but ran to Terminal 2 and used his own money to book onto another flight.

Mr Khalil works in training and development. He says he has an important business meeting on Monday and told the BBC: "I have no choice. I have to be there."

Safaa Almaghrabi was due to fly to Cairo on 24 July with her husband and six children for her sister's wedding on 26 July.

The 31-year-old says she cannot find any direct flights. When there were some available earlier on Saturday, they were more than £35,000 for the whole family.

She told the BBC: "We contacted British Airways and they had two nonsense solutions. The first was to book us a flight on the 31st July, the earliest flight they can. And this way we'll miss the wedding."

They also offered her a full refund which she says is "really disappointing and unfair."

The only indirect flights she can find are via Dubai, and Jordan which she said "will be horrible for six kids."

She said: "I cannot afford to go but I have to go."

The UK Foreign Office updated its advice for Britons travelling to Egypt.

The advice includes the warning: "There's a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation. Additional security measures are in place for flights departing from Egypt to the UK."

Following the bomb explosion that destroyed a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula in October 2015 after it had departed Sharm El Sheikh airport, the UK was one of a number of countries to temporarily suspend flights to and from the country.

The Foreign Office continues to advise against travel to certain parts of Egypt.

---

Have you been affected by flights to Cairo being cancelled by British Airways? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100
• Please read our terms of use and privacy policy

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49059700

2019-07-21 10:39:16Z
CBMiJGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay00OTA1OTcwMNIBKGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy9hbXAvdWstNDkwNTk3MDA

British Airways flights to Cairo cancelled - BBC News

British Airways has cancelled all flights to the Egyptian capital Cairo for a week as a security "precaution".

Passengers about to board a BA flight to the city from London's Heathrow Airport were told that it was cancelled - and that there would be no alternative flights for a week.

The airline did not specify what the security issue was.

A spokesman for Cairo airport told the BBC the airport had yet to be notified by BA of any such changes.

A BA spokesman said: "We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world, and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment.

"The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority, and we would never operate an aircraft unless it was safe to do so."

German airline Lufthansa also cancelled flights to Cairo on Saturday. However, flights to the city would resume on Sunday, a spokesman said.

'Handled badly'

Christine Shelbourne, 70, from Surrey was due to go to Cairo for a week on Saturday with her 11-year-old grandson. She said she managed to check into the flight at 1500 (1400 GMT). However, her boarding card wouldn't open the barriers.

She said: "The check-in staff reissued my boarding pass and I tried again but that didn't work either and we were told to try again in half an hour.

"Whether they knew anything I don't know, but my husband told me the flight had been cancelled before they did. There were no suggestions or help from staff about alternative flights."

"My 11-year-old grandson is heartbroken - he's been looking forward to the trip for months. We're just not going now," she added.

"It was handled badly to be honest. My grandson is currently looking for flights for us - he's devastated."

One passenger named Dan said the airline had given customers £5 food vouchers "meant to last 24 hours".

Michael Khalil, 42, from Guildford says he is about £1,200 out of pocket as a result of his flight being cancelled.

He was booked on the flight earlier on Saturday but ran to Terminal 2 and used his own money to book onto another flight.

Mr Khalil works in training and development. He says he has an important business meeting on Monday and told the BBC: "I have no choice. I have to be there."

Safaa Almaghrabi was due to fly to Cairo on 24 July with her husband and six children for her sister's wedding on 26 July.

The 31-year-old says she cannot find any direct flights. When there were some available earlier on Saturday, they were more than £35,000 for the whole family.

She told the BBC: "We contacted British Airways and they had two nonsense solutions. The first was to book us a flight on the 31st July, the earliest flight they can. And this way we'll miss the wedding."

They also offered her a full refund which she says is "really disappointing and unfair."

The only indirect flights she can find are via Dubai, and Jordan which she said "will be horrible for six kids."

She said: "I cannot afford to go but I have to go."

The UK Foreign Office updated its advice for Britons travelling to Egypt.

The advice includes the warning: "There's a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation. Additional security measures are in place for flights departing from Egypt to the UK."

Following the bomb explosion that destroyed a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula in October 2015 after it had departed Sharm El Sheikh airport, the UK was one of a number of countries to temporarily suspend flights to and from the country.

The Foreign Office continues to advise against travel to certain parts of Egypt.

---

Have you been affected by flights to Cairo being cancelled by British Airways? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100
• Please read our terms of use and privacy policy

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49059700

2019-07-21 08:31:24Z
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British Airways flights to Cairo cancelled - BBC News

British Airways has cancelled all flights to the Egyptian capital Cairo for a week as a security "precaution".

Passengers about to board a BA flight to the city from London's Heathrow Airport were told that it was cancelled - and that there would be no alternative flights for a week.

The airline did not specify what the security issue was.

A spokesman for Cairo airport told the BBC the airport had yet to be notified by BA of any such changes.

A BA spokesman said: "We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world, and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment.

"The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority, and we would never operate an aircraft unless it was safe to do so."

German airline Lufthansa also cancelled flights to Cairo on Saturday. However, flights to the city would resume on Sunday, a spokesman said.

'Handled badly'

Christine Shelbourne, 70, from Surrey was due to go to Cairo for a week on Saturday with her 11-year-old grandson. She said she managed to check into the flight at 1500 (1400 GMT). However, her boarding card wouldn't open the barriers.

She said: "The check-in staff reissued my boarding pass and I tried again but that didn't work either and we were told to try again in half an hour.

"Whether they knew anything I don't know, but my husband told me the flight had been cancelled before they did. There were no suggestions or help from staff about alternative flights."

"My 11-year-old grandson is heartbroken - he's been looking forward to the trip for months. We're just not going now," she added.

"It was handled badly to be honest. My grandson is currently looking for flights for us - he's devastated."

One passenger named Dan said the airline had given customers £5 food vouchers "meant to last 24 hours".

Michael Khalil, 42, from Guildford says he is about £1,200 out of pocket as a result of his flight being cancelled.

He was booked on the flight earlier on Saturday but ran to Terminal 2 and used his own money to book onto another flight.

Mr Khalil works in training and development. He says he has an important business meeting on Monday and told the BBC: "I have no choice. I have to be there."

Safaa Almaghrabi was due to fly to Cairo on 24 July with her husband and six children for her sister's wedding on 26 July.

The 31-year-old says she cannot find any direct flights. When there were some available earlier on Saturday, they were more than £35,000 for the whole family.

She told the BBC: "We contacted British Airways and they had two nonsense solutions. The first was to book us a flight on the 31st July, the earliest flight they can. And this way we'll miss the wedding."

They also offered her a full refund which she says is "really disappointing and unfair."

The only indirect flights she can find are via Dubai, and Jordan which she said "will be horrible for six kids."

She said: "I cannot afford to go but I have to go."

The UK Foreign Office updated its advice for Britons travelling to Egypt.

The advice includes the warning: "There's a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation. Additional security measures are in place for flights departing from Egypt to the UK."

Following the bomb explosion that destroyed a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula in October 2015 after it had departed Sharm El Sheikh airport, the UK was one of a number of countries to temporarily suspend flights to and from the country.

The Foreign Office continues to advise against travel to certain parts of Egypt.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49059700

2019-07-21 07:27:54Z
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