All hand baggage banned from UK flights

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All hand baggage banned from UK flights

Terror alert

By INQUIRER staff: Thursday 10 August 2006, 06:20

THE BBC reports that passengers leaving flights from the UK are being told they won't be allowed any hand baggage in cabins.
That follows a major terrorist alert from Scotland Yard which said it has foiled a plot to blow up planes in mid-flight.

According to the BBC, items which will now have to be checked in include mobile phones, notebooks, iPods and bags. The BBC said see through plastic bags containing nappies, medicines and the like will be allowed.

More here. MI5 has raised its terror alert warning to critical, the highest level of threat, the BBC said. µ

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'Airlines terror plot' disrupted
All airports have been put under the restrictions

Reid statement
A plot to blow up planes in flight from the UK to the US and commit "mass murder on an unimaginable scale" has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said. It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled in hand luggage on to as many as 10 aircraft.

Police are searching premises with 21 people in custody after arrests in London, High Wycombe and Birmingham. High security is causing delays at all UK airports. The threat level to the UK has been raised by MI5 to critical.

According to MI5's website, critical threat level - the highest - means "an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK".

Three US airlines are believed to have been targeted.

According to BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera new intelligence was received in the last five days which led to the decision for police to act as soon as possible.

The plot is thought to have involved a series of "waves" of simultaneous attacks, targeting three planes each time.

He also said the plan "revolved around liquids of some kind".

"Officials say the explosives would have been sophisticated and extremely effective," our correspondent said.

Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport has been closed to all incoming flights that are not already in the air, while several outbound services have been cancelled.

Gatwick Airport has suspended all flights.

Heathrow airport is crammed with thousands of passengers, while at Stansted more than 2,000 people are queuing to pass through customs.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said the alleged plotters had intended "mass murder on an unimaginable scale".

This disruption is one of the short term limits on freedom that are needed

"We are confident that we have disrupted a plan by terrorists to cause untold death and destruction and to commit, quite frankly, mass murder," he said.

"We believe that the terrorists' aim was to smuggle explosives on to aeroplanes in hand luggage and to detonate these in flight. We also believe that the intended targets were flights from the United Kingdom to the United States of America.

"I can confirm that a significant number of people are currently in custody and the operation is ongoing."

Police had spoken to a "good number of community leaders to make them aware that a major operation was under way," he added.

Head of the Met's anti-terrorist branch Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke said the investigation had had "global dimensions" and had seen an "unprecedented level" of surveillance.

The decision to take action had been taken on Wednesday night, he added.

According to BBC sources the "principal characters" suspected of being involved in the plot were British-born. There are also understood to be links to Pakistan.

BBC home affairs correspondent Andy Tighe said police sources had told him they had found "interesting items" which were being examined.

In other major developments:
The US Department of Homeland Security increased the threat level applied to US-bound commercial flights originating in the UK to "red" - the first time it has done this for flights coming in from another country

The Home Office confirmed there had been meetings overnight and on Thursday morning of the Cabinet's emergency committee, Cobra, chaired by Home Secretary John Reid, to discuss the terror alert

A spokesman for Number 10 said Tony Blair had briefed US President George Bush on the situation during the night

BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said he did not think the police believed an attack was imminent now there had been arrests.

Total: 21 people arrested
London: 'Majority' of arrests - exact locations not known
Birmingham: Two arrests
High Wycombe: At least one arrest
"The reason for raising the threat level is in case there is some other sub-plot, back-up plot around this that the police aren't aware of," he said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair is on holiday in the Caribbean, but Downing Street said the police operation was undertaken with his full support and he had been "in constant touch".

The Department for Transport set out the details of the security measures at UK airports.

Passengers are not allowed to take any hand luggage on to any flights in the UK, the department said.

Only the barest essentials - including passports and wallets - will be allowed to be carried on board in transparent plastic bags.

"We hope that these measures, which are being kept under review by the government, will need to be in place for a limited period only," the statement said.

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Travel chaos grips UK's airports
Passengers are being asked to be patient when facing delays

BAA advice
Stringent security measures have been put in place at UK airports, causing passengers severe delays, following a police anti-terror operation.
All short-haul inbound flights to Heathrow airport have been cancelled. Some flights in and out of Gatwick have been suspended.

German carrier Lufthansa and the Spanish airline Iberia have cancelled flights to the UK.

Security has been increased at Channel ports and the Eurotunnel terminal.

Fifteen flights have been delayed at Edinburgh Airport. Most of those flights were scheduled to fly to London.

Air France said it had cancelled five flights from Heathrow to Paris.

BAA has said that at Heathrow all short-haul inbound aircraft have been cancelled. Inbound long-haul flights continue to operate but with severe delays.

For outbound flights at Heathrow, check-in across all four terminals is severely affected and there are lengthy delays. Some airlines have cancelled outbound short-haul flights.

Virgin West Coast has said it will accept any London to Manchester air tickets dated with today's date on its trains.

Passenger concern

The BBC News website's Krishan Ramakrishnan at Heathrow said travellers at the airport were not as worried by the security operation as by the inconvenience of being allowed to take just passports and medicines on the plane.

All cabin baggage must be processed as hold baggage and carried in the hold of passenger aircraft departing UK airports

Advice to passengers

Travel advice for passengers
Send us your experiences

Courteney Dane, who is travelling back to Australia, said: "I'm worried about the cost and the fact I've got a 24 hour flight with nothing to read. I'm not really worried about the security, it's just a nuisance."

Our reporter said there was an enormous queue to get into the Terminal Four building.

He said many travellers were working out ways to travel to Europe by alternative methods, such as Eurostar.

He also described Terminal Three as a "sea of people", as a huge queue built to get in to the departure lounge.

Charlotte Demant, a make up artist, has been in Ghana for two weeks and was on her way home to Denmark.

She said: "I can understand why they are worried about security but the airline has not been helpful.

"We should have at least been given something to eat and drink and money to phone home. I'm going to end up spending the night here in the cold airport."

Increased security

Scotland's airports are busy but passengers are still being advised to turn up even though there may be long queues for check-in.

There were extra security checks at Glasgow airport and Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Prestwick and Dundee were experiencing delays.

At Glasgow airport, Michelle Standaloft, from Rothesay, said: "Everyone's quite calm now, but when you come and you see the police and everything, you are a bit concerned."

She added: "We know it's for our own benefit, in fact it's probably the safest day to fly."

Most people have been polite but some have been angry

Warren Tarling, Gatwick airport

At a glance: disruption
West Midlands disruption
Bristol airport delays
Disruption at Gatwick

Manchester airport has said there are delays on all flights of between one and three hours.

The only flights from the airport cancelled were those BMI and BA flights destined for Heathrow.

Stansted airport is open, with flights arriving and departing but passengers are experiencing waits of up to three hours to get through checks.

Over 2,000 passengers clutching their plastic bags snake around the terminal queuing to pass through customs.

Toni and Ray Haslam were on their way for a short break to Limoges but had heard their flight was one of many that have been cancelled.

"At least we can go back home, and it was just a pleasure trip. It's really bad for those who really have to be at their destination," Mrs Haslam said.

Extra police have been drafted in to many UK airports.

At Gatwick, airport worker Warren Tarling said he had never seen the airport so busy.

"There's thousands upon thousands of people. All flights out of the airport have been delayed," he said.

"Most people have been polite but some have been angry. Generally people have been understanding because of the nature of the problem."

Many holidays have been ruined by the delays

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said all airports and airlines operating into and out of the UK would be on a heightened state of security.

"Maximum security unfortunately will involve immediate and severe disruptions for passengers with significant delays likely at all UK airports," he said.

"What these changes mean in practice is that all hand baggage will now have to be checked in with only a small number of essential items allowed through search controls.

"Exceptions will be in place for those travelling with infants and for prescription medicines."

Passengers are being asked to check in most items of baggage, apart from wallets and purses, identity and travel documents, prescription medicines, spectacles and sunglasses and keys.

Those travelling with children will be allowed items essential for caring for them on the flight.

Passengers wanting detailed information are being advised to contact the airline they were due to travel with. Information would also be available on the Home Office, the Department for Transport and Foreign Office websites.

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At-a-glance: UK airports

Security at all UK airports has been tightened after an alleged plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US.

CABIN LUGGAGE ALLOWED
Pocket-sized wallets and purses, plus contents
Passports and travel tickets
Prescription medicines, not in liquid form unless can be verified as authentic
Essential medical items such as diabetic kit
Glasses and sunglasses, no cases
Contact lens holders, no bottles of solution
Baby food and milk for those with infants - contents of each bottle must be tasted by accompanying passenger
Essential sanitary items for infants
Female sanitary items, unboxed
Tissues, unboxed, or handkerchiefs
Keys, but no electric key fobs

Full advice for passengers

Broadly, passengers are not being allowed to take on any hand luggage except essential items in see-through carrier bags, and are advised to expect severe delays.

Passengers are advised to contact their airline with any queries.

British Airways said customers not wishing to travel on Thursday could rebook to travel up to 1 December subject to availability, or get a refund.

Below is the situation at some of the airports so far. We have included links to airport websites, although readers may experience difficulties accessing some of them because of high demand:

HEATHROW
The airport has been closed to all incoming flights which are not already in the air.

Air France has already cancelled five flights to Heathrow from Paris this morning.

BAA has urged all passengers planning to fly out of Heathrow on Thursday to postpone their plans and remain at home unless the journey is essential.

Spokesperson Jo Bird said: "Heathrow is the same as every other UK airport this morning which is asking passengers not to take any hand luggage into the cabin of an aircraft. There are obviously some exceptions to this - people's wallets, prescribed medicine, but all of those will need to go into a plastic bag. There is a specific list."

Rod Plankton, of Reading, Berkshire, told the BBC News website: "Severe delays on arrival at LHR at 0600 this morning - BA desk staff as helpful as possible in very difficult circumstances as many hundreds of expectant travellers continued to pile into Terminal 1.

"Lots of patient queuing, but no people passing to airside at 06:30 - expect severe delays...."

London Heathrow Airport

BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Passengers are being advised to check in at least two hours earlier. No hand luggage is allowed to be taken on, with only the barest essentials in transparent plastic bags.

Belfast International Airport security director Robin Long said delays would be inevitable.

"The queues of people going through central search are massive - they are actually queuing into the retail area and on to the moving walkway," he said.

"Unusually, we are searching absolutely everybody so that is having a massive impact."

Easy jet flights from the airport to Amsterdam, London Gatwick and Luton have been cancelled, as have the airline's incoming flights from Luton and Gatwick.