Boston Globe: Britain relaxes rules for travel at airports

Britain relaxes rules for travel at airports

By Susan Milligan | Globe Staff | August 15, 2006

LONDON -- British authorities yesterday eased security restrictions at the nation's heavily clogged airports, giving some relief to frustrated air passengers and to airline executives who complained that the strict security measures imposed after last week's terror-related arrests were crippling the industry.

The Home Office urged Britons to remain alert, saying a terrorist attack still is ``highly likely." But Home Secretary John Reid said new intelligence showed the threat no longer was imminent, and lowered the threat level from ``critical" to ``severe" early yesterday.

The move led airport authorities to relax security measures that had forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights over the weekend. Irate passengers waited outside Heathrow Airport in the rain Saturday and Sunday, delayed by security rules that banned all hand luggage -- including books and cell phones -- and required body searches of passengers. Some made it into the airport only to find their flights had departed unfilled.

But yesterday, the British Airports Association cut the mandatory body searches in half, imposing random searches on 50 percent of passengers, said association managing director Tony Douglas . That still was more than in the past, when about one-fourth of passengers have been randomly selected for further search, he said.

``We believe we will begin to see some level of normality return to Heathrow," Douglas told reporters, although he cautioned that security still was stricter than before the alleged terrorist plot was exposed last Thursday.

Yesterday, passengers also were allowed to bring mobile phones and car keys inside a clear plastic bag; today , air travelers will be permitted to bring laptops and other electronic equipment in a carry-on bag no bigger than an average laptop case, he said.

Liquids and gels -- including toothpaste, cosmetics, and beverages -- will continue to be banned, as they are on flights leaving the United States, he said.

The tougher security measures were imposed after British law enforcement announced last week a suspected plot to blow up airliners in flight by mixing liquids together on the planes. British Airways was forced to cancel 30 percent of its flights leaving Heathrow on Sunday, and a fifth of flights departing yesterday.

Officials at London's Heathrow Airport predicted 80 percent of flights would operate today, up from about 65 percent yesterday.

Furious airline executives complained that the airports association did not have adequate contingency plans to deal with such a crisis. With the delays out of the control of the airlines, the air carrier executives worried that passengers would take out their anger at the airlines.

British media reported that the airports association -- anxious to keep some semblance of order at Heathrow during prime vacation season -- threatened to deny airport facilities to airlines that did not obey an order to cut the number of flights.

The chief executive officer of budget airline Ryanair urged the government to send army troops or other assistance to speed up the searches. The cut-rate carriers rely on numerous flights and quick airport turnarounds to stay in business.

But by yesterday, the bottlenecks appeared to have abated somewhat, and Douglas said the loosened security rules would further speed the check-in process .

Passengers at Heathrow yesterday appeared weary from their long wait, but said they were willing to put up with delays if it was necessary for safety.

``Better this than being blown up," said James Debenham , a 27-year-old physical therapist, as he began a five-hour wait to get a flight to Australia. ``It's an inconvenience, but it's necessary," he said.

Emily Barry, a 17-year-old student on her way to Egypt, said she wasn't afraid to fly and felt more secure with tighter carry-on restrictions. ``I don't really mind. I'd rather go through security than have anything happen to us. I feel safer," she said.

Other Britons said they were initially jarred by the sight of police officers at the airport carrying machine guns, an unusual sight in a country where police on the street are generally unarmed. But the specter raised last week of a plan to blow up passenger planes in mid-air has left many here resigned to a new world of heightened security.

``I'm very glad it's in place. I would have avoided flying if I didn't know all the security checks were in place," said Melanie Shelton , 47, a college lecturer traveling with five family members to New York.

Despite pleas to show up no more than three hours ahead of flight times to keep the buildings from getting too crowded, passengers showed up in the early morning for afternoon flights, worried that they would miss their planes. Some passengers on weekend flights had camped out at the airport to ensure they made their flights, and airport officials were determined yesterday to control the flow of traffic.

Still, lines of people snaked around the sidewalks outside the terminals yesterday, as passengers stood in the drizzle until airport staff said they could go inside. Those outside were offered seats in a tent to make the wait more bearable. Plastic bags were distributed outside so travelers could put allowed items into the clear sacks.

Reid made no mention of the airport delays when he announced the lowering of the threat level, saying the decision was ``intelligence-based."

Police believe they have apprehended the ``main suspects" in the alleged bomb plan , Reid said. Authorities are holding 23 suspects, none of whom has been charged with a crime.

But ``the public needs to know that there may be other people out there who may be planning an attack against the UK. I want to stress, therefore, that the change in the threat level does not mean that the threat has gone away," he said.

The initial security restrictions caused an uproar from airline executives.

© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.