By Patrick Galey
Thursday, March 24, 2011

BEIRUT: Bahrain’s two carriers cancelled flights to and from Lebanon Wednesday, in follow up to a Bahraini Foreign Ministry warning against travel to Beirut amid safety concerns for its citizens.

Gulf Air and Bahrain Air cancelled all flights in and out of Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport for several days as ongoing unrest in the tiny Gulf island state persisted.
A source at the Beirut airport said that the two carriers had been forced to stop flights after receiving an email from Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry ordering them to halt operations.

While Gulf Air was still advertising flights to Beirut on its website Wednesday, a statement posted on Bahrain Air’s website said the carrier would not resume normal service until March 30 at the earliest. “The decision has been taken for commercial reasons as there has been significant reduction in demand making these flights no longer viable,” the statement said.

“Passengers with confirmed flights can rebook after March 30 in the same booking class at no additional charge. Bahrain Air will endeavor where possible to transfer its booked passengers to alternative airlines for carriage.”
Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, said it was also suspending services to and from Iran and Iraq, without specifying a reason. A Gulf Air booking agent told AFP in Manama flights had been suspended for security reasons.

The state-owned Bahrain News Agency said all Gulf Air and Bahrain Air flights had been grounded indefinitely after comments over the weekend by Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who criticized the violent crackdown by Bahraini security forces on protesters in Pearl square, as well as the presence of Saudi troops on the island.

“This decision was taken after the irresponsible comments and stances from Lebanon against Bahrain, its people and leaders,” it said. “Such attitudes and interference in the internal affairs of Bahrain and [Gulf] countries is bad for the ties between Lebanon and our countries and harms the particular interests of Lebanon in [Gulf] cooperation.”
Nasrallah had said his party was ready to assist Bahraini protesters.

His remarks prompted a warning from Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry, advising its citizens against travel to Lebanon, citing security concerns. Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri hit back at Nasrallah’s comments.

Majority Shiite Bahrain is currently wracked by protests against the Sunni-dominated state. Calls for a constitutional monarchy have alarmed many Sunni Bahrainis, who fear the growing regional influence of Iran, Hezbollah’s backer. Friday saw a bloody crackdown on protesters by Bahraini authorities, an action that drew the ire of Iran and Hezbollah. – P.G., The Daily Star