It’s a shame to see BEY and another Midhaul route go. The old BMI routes haven’t faired well in the BA network.

It seems BA is only really interested in America as their presence in the East shrinks every year.

I don’t know the plans for the Midhaul A321s but I’d say they’d either keep it at 4 frames allowing them to have more flexibility (unlikely). Otherwise they will convert one or two (depending on what aircraft Moscow, Cairo and Amman get) into Short Haul configuration and use it to fill these extra slots

My flight to BEY over the Easter weekend is still shown as operating.

Easter comes before 12th May!

I’m on a Lloyds voucher booking in J 7-10/05. Wouldn’t mind deferring or cancelling with the Covid-19. Anyone think I’ve got a chance at this stage or sit tight?

I think your options would end up being rebook for the same dates or cancel.

It seems that Lebanon has closed its borders to people who have been in the UK for the last 14 days as per date of proposed entry to Lebanon.

For anyone booked on 12 May and beyond BA will now rebook on TK via IST, or on VY via BCN.

In terms of the new restrictions for Lebanon (noted here https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32177949-post8.html) there are no guidelines yet.

I very much hope that isn't the last of the policies they're coming out with - as that's hardly acceptable for Club World (especially as the IST option is on TK only as far as IST rather than LHR).

A bit of a cross posting, but Guidelines are out for cancelled BEY service, allowing a refund or rebooking on TK via IST or Vueling via BCN.

No surprise really.....Lebanon is bankrupt!

Lebanon’s financial crisis and dollar shortage have prompted commercial banks to impose strict caps on withdrawing dollars and a block on most transfers abroad, leaving Lebanese, many of whom are paid in dollars, strapped for cash.

Most are paid in LBP, it's the difficulty converting that to USD (to then spend it on travel, among other things) that's the main difficulty.

That said, I don't think this is the main reason for the suspension, rather just one step too far. Back when BA started the route, Y fares were often double what they are today. That isn't due to a lack of demand but increased competition on many BEY routes, as well as MEA's double daily services to LHR. It's been interesting to see BA's price aligning to MEA's over the years, introduction of one-way fares (even ex-LHR), HBO fares, etc. Furthermore, MEA has increased interline agreements with connections out of their European gateways - you can easily build up a BEY-ME-LHR-AA-JFK ticket, for example. With VS/AF cozying up, BEY-ME-LHR-AF(VS)-BOS is also a possibility, for example. Premium US connections are/were BA's main goal for the BEY route.

BA was just starting to prove less popular - especially in the last year or two - with erratic schedules, somewhat clapped out cabins, long connections at LHR on the way to BEY for many US-originating pax, perpetually A10 at LHR, and arguably an inferior product to MEA, at least in Y. Add in increased competition and improved products on competitors, mainly CDG, poor aircraft utilisation, double overnight layover, the occasional (IMO overreaction) overnight hop over to LCA and back when things heat up somewhat, and there you have it.

I guess this is part of BAs route cutting which Alex talked about today. I think we could see a few routes go which are average or poor performers.

BEY looks to be open again? https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...ghts-to-beirut

From a quick glance I can't see any flights loaded, I expect someone has just forgotten to remove that page (or BA will book via AMM or DOH).