BA gives most Cyprus flights “all clear”

One of the three British Airways Boeing 767s removed from service following the discovery of low traces of a radioactive substance has been given the all clear by UK government agencies, an announcement said Friday.

Passengers from London Heathrow to Larnaca on November 11, 12, 13 and 26 are unaffected by the scare as one of the aircraft operating the return flight has been cleared.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said it does not believe that passengers on the aircraft with registration G-BZHA were at risk over the past month. This aircraft had flown 72 of the 221 flights identified.

Monitoring is continuing on a second aircraft – registration G-BNWX.  The airline hopes to return both aircraft to service at the weekend.

The HPA went on to say the risk of having been exposed to Polonium-210 remains low.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has given its clearance for the third aircraft – registration G-BNWB – currently at Moscow, to return to Heathrow, where it will undergo testing.

The UK government advised British Airways on Tuesday evening that the aircraft were part of the police investigation into the death of Alexander Litvinenko.

The airline said it has taken more than 7,500 calls from customers on its special helpline which remains open on 0845 6040171 and + 44 (0) 191 211 3690 for international calls. The local British Airways number in Cyrpus is 22-799999.

Details of the flights operated by all three aircraft at the centre of the investigation are available on ba.com.

The airline said 72 flights operated by the B767 have been given the all clear. Among them are the return flights from London to Larnaca BA 662 and 663 on November 11, 12, 13 and 26.

Two more flights operated on October 29 and November 18 have yet to be given the all clear.