No Hand Luggage today from UK airports

[Fiona]

This has been all over the radio this morning, no hand luggage is being accepted on to airlines, you are only allowed to carry the basic essentials.

BBC NEWS | UK | 'Plot to blow up planes' foiled

[Lou]

Basic essential for most people being passport only apparently.

Huge queues and those who can cancel their trips are being advised to go home, or stay at home.

Security level raised to "Critical - threat imminent". The "caht" on Radio 4 was that it is surmised that the 18 arrested early this morning may not have been all of the group, or that their arrests would be the trigger for a secondary group.

[Kent Tooling]

It is also on all the morning news programs,

They are even having to taste the baby milk to prove that this is not a liquid devise.

Who ever is flying out today i hope you have a safe journey

[SoggyFox]

It does leave me scatching my head about the present security at airports. Someone correct me but the last few times i've travelled i've had to do the security thing before getting airside, are we now to believe that that security is inadequate to stop potential terrorists?

what exactly is the present security and metal detectors set up to check for if its not devices designed to blow up and take control of aircraft.

[abucksdiver]

Great, flying out to Malta with my two young children next week... with nothing to entertain them for the journey... "Dad, are we there yet?" every 2 minutes!

Andrew

[ScubaSue]

I'm flying tomorrow evening.

I have 'plans' - and am not too worried.

FFS, I flew home from Greece on 9/11 after a 5 hour delay and all we were being told was that there was a problem with air traffic control in Athens, (while they stuffed us all into the Departures and we couldn't even stand comfortably, never mind sit down).

Hey ho.

[Lou]

Originally Posted by SoggyFox

It does leave me scatching my head about the present security at airports. Someone correct me but the last few times i've travelled i've had to do the security thing before getting airside, are we now to believe that that security is inadequate to stop potential terrorists?

what exactly is the present security and metal detectors set up to check for if its not devices designed to blow up and take control of aircraft.

The argument given by "the security expert" is that hold luggage has a very strict procedure, hand luggage is less so, but the thing with hand luggage is that something could be assembled on the plane. Maybe even two terrorists travelling together, each taking different parts of the device. This would be harder to pick up.

[mala]

why don't they put the luggage on 1 plane and the naked passengers on another.


sleazy jet.

------------------------------------
--- Travel advice for passengers ---
------------------------------------


The Department for Transport has issued advice to air passengers after a suspected plot to blow up planes was prevented:

Following this morning's police action, security at all UK airports has been increased and additional security measures have been put in place for all flights.

With immediate effect, the following arrangements apply to all passengers starting their journey at a UK airport and to those transferring between flights at a UK airport.

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

Passengers may take through the airport security search point, in a single (ideally transparent) plastic carrier bag, only the following items. Nothing may be carried in pockets:

- Pocket-size wallets and pocket-size purses plus contents (for example money, credit cards, identity cards etc (not handbags)

- Travel documents essential for the journey (for example passports and travel tickets)

- Prescription medicines and medical items sufficient and essential for the flight (eg, diabetic kit), except in liquid form unless verified as authentic

- Spectacles and sunglasses, without cases

- Contact lens holders, without bottles of solution

- For those travelling with an infant: baby food, milk (the contents of each bottle must be tasted by the accompanying passenger) and sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight (nappies, wipes, creams and nappy disposal bags)

- Female sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight, if unboxed (eg tampons, pads, towels and wipes)

- Tissues (unboxed) and/or handkerchiefs

- Keys (but no electrical key fobs). All passengers must be hand searched, and their footwear and all the items they are carrying must be X-ray screened.


Pushchairs and walking aids must be X-ray screened, and only airport-provided wheelchairs may pass through the screening point.

In addition to the above, all passengers boarding flights to the USA and all the items they are carrying, including those acquired after the central screening point, must be subjected to secondary search at the boarding gate.


Extra time

Any liquids discovered must be removed from the passenger.

There are no changes to current hold baggage security measures.

Regrettably, significant delays at airports are inevitable. Passengers are being asked to allow themselves plenty of extra time and to ensure that other than the few permitted items listed above, all their belongings are placed in their hold baggage and checked in.

These additional security measures will make travel more difficult for passengers, particularly at such a busy time of the year. But they are necessary and will continue to keep flights from UK airports properly secure.

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.

In light of the threat to aviation and the need to respond to it, we are asking the travelling public to be patient and understanding and to cooperate fully with airport security staff and the police.

If passengers have any questions on their travel arrangements or security in place at airports they should contact their airline or carrier.


------

Welcome to my nightmare!
Kelly

[CotoChris]

Great. I'm flying to Boston this afternoon (but from Porto, Portugal). I reckon it's going to be very tough as well. We packed all our Port, Ipods, vedeo cameras etch on the hand luggage as well.

Thnaks for the news, I was just doing a final YD check before doing last minute work, wouldn't have checked the news in time. will make it to the plane earlier than the two hour before check in as planned.

I preffer the checks rather than being blown up though!