National carrier Malaysia Airlines announced the cancellation of four flights to the Middle East beginning today due to low demand because of the US-led war against Iraq.

"Malaysia Airlines will continue to monitor the current situation and customers will be duly notified of changes," the carrier said in a statement.

The cancelled flights are those o­n the Kuala Lumpur-Cairo-Istanbul route, and the Kuala Lumpur-Dubai-Beirut route for March 21-24.

Malaysia Airlines said other flights to these destinations o­n other days were not affected.

The carrier also said it had started operating its flights between Kuala Lumpur and Europe and the Middle East using airways established by the International Civil Aviation Organization as a result of increased military activity in Iraq. AFP