Istanbul travel warnings

British travellers are being warned not to visit the Turkish city of Istanbul “unless absolutely necessary” following the two explosions that killed dozens of people yesterday. After the blasts at the British Consulate and the city’s headquarters of the HSBC bank, the Foreign Secretary Jack Straw warned that there was a significant risk of terrorism in Turkey and that Istanbul should be avoided “until the situation becomes clearer”. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website, at www.fco.gov.uk, states: “There is a high threat from terrorism in Turkey. We urge you to be vigilant in all parts of the country, and especially in the vicinity of potential terrorist targets.” ABTA has warned that holidaymakers with tickets to Turkey will only be eligible for a refund if they were travelling to Istanbul, as the advice does not forbid travel to other areas. Spokeswoman Frances Tuke told The Independent newspaper that there were probably only around 100 British travellers on package trips in the city at present, and that most of them would be leaving on scheduled flights as originally planned, adding: “We have looked into the possibility of getting people back early but the reality is that most people are on short breaks and it is not practical to shift them on to other flights.” British Airways is reportedly “reconsidering its schedule” to Istanbul in the light of events, while the German and United States governments have also upgraded their own security warnings for Turkey.