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Air travel security to be eased
UK airports are expected to announce an easing of air travel security next week.
Security was tightened last month in the wake of a foiled plot to bomb airliners.
The government enforced a ban on liquids in hand luggage and limits on the size of carry-on bags.
“We intend to announce new regulations next week,” said a spokesman for the Department for Transport.
“We always said we would keep those (steps) under review.”
A meeting of government and airline industry officials is set for Monday, and the DfT spokesman said an announcement on revised rules was likely later in the week.
Airport operator BAA, which owns London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, said it expected the restrictions to be eased within 24 hours of Monday’s meeting
‘We welcome any move by the DfT which they feel is appropriate and has the added benefit of making passengers’ journeys easier,” a BAA spokesman said.
One airline source told Reuters that the government had indicated that the restrictions on luggage and liquids would be eased.
“We are expecting something to happen next week,” the source said.
More than 2,000 flights were cancelled in Britain last month after the government ordered tighter checks on passengers and luggage.
British Airways estimated its lost revenues and the cost of hotel rooms for stranded passengers and of repatriating lost luggage at £40 million (see earlier story)
BAA said the extra security and lost revenues had cost it an estimated £13 million pounds.
Budget carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet in particular rely on rapid airport turnaround times to maximise profits.
“We strongly welcome a return to normal for all flights from the UK,” a Ryanair spokesman said.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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