Ned
08-16-2006, 08:17 AM
Some airline executives in the UK are calling for a return to normalcy at UK airports, including lifting the new bans on liquids and gels. Ryanair has been particularly outspoken and angry, but now British Air isn't far behind and is threatening an almost $600 million claim (read that "suit" if necessary) against BAA (read that British government).
Originally posted by CNN - August 16 2006
Airline bosses: Security measures mishandled
Flight delays and cancellations still plague UK airports
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Airline officials have accused the British government and airport authorities of mishandling new security measures in the wake of an alleged terrorist plot.
As cancellations and delays gripped Britain's major airports for a sixth day, the head of British Airways threatened Tuesday to sue BAA, the country's largest airport operator, for financial compensation.
Analysts expect the disruptions could cost BA more than £40 million ($75.53 million).
BAA -- which runs seven UK airports including London's Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick -- could face a compensation bill as high as £300 million ($570 million) if the airlines pursue a joint claim, according to analysts' estimates.
"Since 9/11, everyone in the industry has known there might be times when extra security measures needed to be put in place," said BA chief executive Willie Walsh.
"Yet when the moment struck, BAA had no plan ready to keep Heathrow functioning properly," he told the Daily Mirror.
"The queues for security have wound all round the terminals like a bad dream at Disneyland."
Meanwhile, the CEO of budget airline Ryanair said the UK government had "failed to provide any leadership" following Thursday's arrest of 24 suspects in the alleged plot to blow up trans-Atlantic airliners.
Michael O'Leary told CNN that the government had failed to take quick action to help the airline industry "return to normalcy."
The government, he said, should have used military personnel to secure airports after the terrorist threat was raised to its highest level following the arrests. He said that would have helped to ease congestion caused by new baggage restrictions and increased passenger screening.
O'Leary criticized a carry-on ban on cosmetics, gels, toothpaste, liquids and sharp objects, saying the London Underground subway system and the Eurotunnel have no such restrictions even though they are "as much a terrorist target as airlines."
Earlier Tuesday, Ryanair also blamed ongoing disruptions on "BAA's chronic inability to staff their Stansted security facilities, combined with nonsensical hand baggage restrictions."
The carrier said there were long security lines at Stansted and that at one point Tuesday only four out of 14 security points were open.
"The chaotic scenes at Stansted Airport show that there is no foundation to BAA CEO Stephen Nelson's claim that staffing is not a problem," a Ryanair spokesman said. (Alerts threaten discount travel)
The UK government's decision to allow some hand luggage back on flights Tuesday has been expected to end much of the travel misery.
But CNN's John Vause at Heathrow --the worst affected by the heithened secutiry -- said BA had canceled at least 40 flights there Tuesday.
He said one in two passengers were still being called for individual searches at Heathrow.
In addition to cancellations at Heathrow on Tuesday, BA also canceled 11 flights from Gatwick. Ryanair scrapped eight services at Stansted.
Meanwhile, British investigators have searched for evidence of explosive tests in woods in High Wycombe, west of London, near where they arrested the 24 suspects.
Security sources told CNN that the alleged plotters intended to use an electrical charge to detonate liquid explosives in planes as they flew at maximum cruising altitude over the Atlantic Ocean...
Go to Security Measures Mishandled (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/15/uk.terror.airports/index.html) to read the entire article.
Originally posted by CNN - August 16 2006
Airline bosses: Security measures mishandled
Flight delays and cancellations still plague UK airports
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Airline officials have accused the British government and airport authorities of mishandling new security measures in the wake of an alleged terrorist plot.
As cancellations and delays gripped Britain's major airports for a sixth day, the head of British Airways threatened Tuesday to sue BAA, the country's largest airport operator, for financial compensation.
Analysts expect the disruptions could cost BA more than £40 million ($75.53 million).
BAA -- which runs seven UK airports including London's Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick -- could face a compensation bill as high as £300 million ($570 million) if the airlines pursue a joint claim, according to analysts' estimates.
"Since 9/11, everyone in the industry has known there might be times when extra security measures needed to be put in place," said BA chief executive Willie Walsh.
"Yet when the moment struck, BAA had no plan ready to keep Heathrow functioning properly," he told the Daily Mirror.
"The queues for security have wound all round the terminals like a bad dream at Disneyland."
Meanwhile, the CEO of budget airline Ryanair said the UK government had "failed to provide any leadership" following Thursday's arrest of 24 suspects in the alleged plot to blow up trans-Atlantic airliners.
Michael O'Leary told CNN that the government had failed to take quick action to help the airline industry "return to normalcy."
The government, he said, should have used military personnel to secure airports after the terrorist threat was raised to its highest level following the arrests. He said that would have helped to ease congestion caused by new baggage restrictions and increased passenger screening.
O'Leary criticized a carry-on ban on cosmetics, gels, toothpaste, liquids and sharp objects, saying the London Underground subway system and the Eurotunnel have no such restrictions even though they are "as much a terrorist target as airlines."
Earlier Tuesday, Ryanair also blamed ongoing disruptions on "BAA's chronic inability to staff their Stansted security facilities, combined with nonsensical hand baggage restrictions."
The carrier said there were long security lines at Stansted and that at one point Tuesday only four out of 14 security points were open.
"The chaotic scenes at Stansted Airport show that there is no foundation to BAA CEO Stephen Nelson's claim that staffing is not a problem," a Ryanair spokesman said. (Alerts threaten discount travel)
The UK government's decision to allow some hand luggage back on flights Tuesday has been expected to end much of the travel misery.
But CNN's John Vause at Heathrow --the worst affected by the heithened secutiry -- said BA had canceled at least 40 flights there Tuesday.
He said one in two passengers were still being called for individual searches at Heathrow.
In addition to cancellations at Heathrow on Tuesday, BA also canceled 11 flights from Gatwick. Ryanair scrapped eight services at Stansted.
Meanwhile, British investigators have searched for evidence of explosive tests in woods in High Wycombe, west of London, near where they arrested the 24 suspects.
Security sources told CNN that the alleged plotters intended to use an electrical charge to detonate liquid explosives in planes as they flew at maximum cruising altitude over the Atlantic Ocean...
Go to Security Measures Mishandled (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/15/uk.terror.airports/index.html) to read the entire article.