Passengers advised to allow extra time
Following the failed bomb plot on a Northwest Airlines flight, passengers travelling to the US are being advised to allow extra time at the airport.
Travellers from European airports have been told to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departs, due to increased security.
These additional measures include more bag searches and pat downs.
Hand luggage on US-bound flights has been limited to one bag per person.
A BAA spokesperson told ABTN: "The standard security procedures at the airports remain the same for all flights.
But for US-bound passengers, "the issue is that the TSA (US Transport Security Administration) have insisted that airlines flying to the US carry out a secondary search on all passengers at the gate," said BAA.
The secondary search involves hand held metal detectors and pat down searches, added BAA.
Due to the extra security measures, some US-bound flights have not departed on time, with passengers at Heathrow this morning (December 30) experiencing delays of around 40 minutes.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is accused of trying to ignite explosives sewn inside his underwear on Northwest Flight 253 from Amsterdam as it approached Detroit on Christmas day. He was overpowered by passengers and crew.
The failed bomb plot may lead to increased use of full body scanners at airports, despite privacy fears.
These hyper-sensitive X-ray machines create an image of the subject's naked body on the security screen, which shows up anything strapped to the subject's body, such as explosives.
US President Barack Obama has asked security officials for a plan to strengthen aviation screening technology and procedures following the incident, Reuters reported, which may lead to permanent changes in airport security measures.
The results of the review are expected on Thursday.
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