Misery for millions as tight security restrictions cause huge airport delays

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A relaxation of the strict rules on air travellers' hand-baggage was signalled by the Government yesterday - but will come too late for this summer's predicted holiday chaos.

New Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly held a special two hour long security summit with airline and airport bosses yesterday in a bid to reduce the misery for air travellers following three failed bomb attacks by terrorists.

She signalled that, in the medium term, she was prepared to look again at baggage restrictions which limit travellers to just one carry-on bag - provided the security of passengers is not compromised.

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Airport queues at Heathrow

But for the immediate future, the Government's focus was on ensuring that the current system is robust enough to guarantee passenger security without causing a meltdown.

Airline operators say some of the security measures, introduced last August, are "unjustified" and driving valuable business passengers away from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

The Department for Transport has launched a £1.5 million advertising campaign in the national press to remind passengers of the measures, which include a maximum of one item of hand luggage for passengers departing the UK as well as EU-wide limits on liquids and gels that can be taken through airport security.

Millions of families will soon be flying for the first time under the new regulations. These state that passengers are allowed to only ONE item of hand baggage.

They can carry a maximum of 10 small 100ml bottles of liquid toiletries in a re-sealable plastic bag.

Miss Kelly told aviation bosses that passengers and the industry must "be prepared" to face an enduring terrorist threat.

After yesterday's meeting Miss Kelly said: "We will not compromise on the safety of passengers, and this means that the heightened security measures introduced last summer are still necessary.

"But I am only too aware that as the main summer season approaches, better preparations need to be put in place."

On the issue of furore relaxation of the rules, Miss Kelly said: "In time we are willing to make further changes, for instance on the one bag rule. But currently the ball is in the industry's court. It is up to it to work with us to develop a process that would enable a change without compromising the safety and security of passengers."

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said the hand baggage restrictions - still in place from last August - was unjustified and adding to delays.

Heathrow was thrown into confusion earlier this month when a security alert shut down Terminal 4 and caused a backlog of tens of thousands of missing bags.

Since the recent terror alerts in London and at Glasgow Airport earlier this month, cars have been banned from drop-off point at terminal forecourts.

Every passenger is being individually frisked and searched by hand by a member of the security staff - with pockets, linings and collars checked - even though this is likely to lead to bottlenecks.

All hand-baggage will be screened as normal by X-Ray machine, though a far higher proportion is being searched by hand as well.

 

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