UK airport operators and airlines are advising passengers to allow considerably more time to check-in on 2 July following the weekend”s terrorist attack at Glasgow airport that has seen the UK placed on critical alert.
All seven BAA airports ” Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen ” have imposed severe restrictions on passengers being dropped off on forecourts, with travellers urged to use car parks instead.
The draconian measures come after a jeep was driven at speed into the front of Glasgow airport before bursting into a fireball, in what appears to have been a co-ordinated terrorist attack and linked to the discovery of crude bombs placed in two cars in London last Friday.
A BAA spokesman said: ”Glasgow is fully operational, although some flights have been delayed as a result of disruption on Saturday and Sunday. The forecourt remains a crime scene and is closed to all vehicles.
”Forecourt restrictions remain in place at all BAA”s airports and we are advising passengers to take public transport if possible. Those people travelling by private car are advised to allow extra time for journeys to the airport.”
Motives for the attack are still unclear, but a massive police operation would indicate that a terrorist attack was narrowly thwarted - both in Scotland and London ” while the UK threat level remains at critical indicating an imminent attack.
New British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has chaired a meeting of the civil contingencies committee, Cobra, noting: ”The first duty of government is the safety and security of the British people, so it is right to raise the level of security at airports and crowded places in the light of the heightened threat.”
There have been reports of chronic traffic delays on the approaches to some airports as travellers are affected by the new restrictions, while Glasgow”s 35,000 passengers due to fly today have been advised to use Car Park 1 if being dropped off.
Passengers are being urged to access Glasgow by public transport and allow extra time for roadworks on the notoriously busy M8 motorway. Those whose flights were cancelled on Saturday evening are slowly being re-united with their bags after the landside area was secured.
Airlines are operating normal schedules today, but are advising passengers to check with the airport before travelling and to allow extra time to check-in.