london airport safety

UK Airport Safety (UK terror plot thwarted)

(CNN) -- BAA, which owns and operates seven UK airports, including London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, has released the following statement Thursday morning.

"Following this morning's police action, the Department for Transport have asked all UK airports to apply additional security measures designed to ensure passenger safety.

These measures will prevent passengers from carrying hand luggage into the cabin of an aircraft with the following exceptions (which must be placed in a plastic bag):

- 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 (e.g. diabetic kit), except in liquid form unless verified as authentic;

- Spectacles and sunglasses, without cases; (just wear 'em)

- Contact lens holders, without bottles of solution; (seriously, dun bother wearing them lenses; imagine the dry air in flight and no solution???!)

- For those traveling with an infant: baby food, milk (the contents of each bottle must be tasted by the accompanying passenger); (hope he/she is not lactose intolerant)

- 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 (e.g. tampons, pads, towels and wipes) tissues (unboxed) and/or handkerchiefs; (forget any embarassment; they're gonna go thru' your stuff anyway)

- Keys (but no electrical key fobs) (dun drive to the airport. if you do, remember: the car keys go into cargo)

- All passengers must be hand searched, and their footwear and all the items they are carrying must be X-ray screened. (stick to slippers... seriously)

- 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. Any liquids discovered must be removed from the passenger.

BAA wish to stress that these are precautionary measures. During the next few days airports will be extremely busy, therefore only those intending to fly should come to the airport. Passengers are also asked to use public transport to get to and from the airport wherever possible.

Passengers are asked to be patient while these additional security measures are put in place. Delays are likely and passengers are therefore asked to allow extra time for their journey."

Please note that I'm not making fun of the safety issues taken up by BAA as advised by The Scotland Yard. I'm just giving pointers. Besides, the temperature in the US has been soaring nowdays. Dress down- it gets you through faster.