Britain's transport minister said yesterday that the vast majority of flights are going ahead as normal, although security fears forced the cancelation of a London to Washington service twice last week.
"The decision to cancel the flight is something that is only taken in exceptional circumstances," Transport Secretary Alistair Darling told BBC radio. He added that such a decision was only taken "when we have information that leads us to the conclusion that that is the only thing that is safe to do."
Hundreds of passengers were stranded when British Airways canceled flight 223 from Heathrow to Washington's Dulles airport on Thursday and Friday on government advice. Neither the airline nor British officials would provide details of the threat, although analysts and media reports suggested authorities had received intelligence of a possible airborne attack by al-Qaeda linked terrorists.
Flight 223 was allowed to take off Saturday and Sunday, but was delayed for more than three hours both days by thorough security screening. British Airways canceled Saturday's flight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, citing a government security warning.
"The vast majority of flights to the United States and to other parts of the world have been going ahead as normal," Darling said. "We're trying to strike a balance between increased security at airports, on aircraft themselves, ensuring at the same time that people can go about their day-to-day business."
In response to US security demands, the EU agreed last month to share airline passenger lists for all US-bound flights with American officials. US officials also have sought to get armed "sky marshals" deployed on some flights.
A dozen flights to and from the US have been canceled in the two weeks since the Bush administration raised the national terrorism alert to orange, its second-highest level, saying there was intelligence terrorists could be planning large-scale attacks over the holiday season.
South Korea’s air force yesterday apologized for a 2021 midair collision involving two fighter jets, a day after auditors said the pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight and held them responsible for the accident. “We sincerely apologize to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021,” an air force spokesman told a news conference, adding that one of the pilots involved had been suspended from flying duties, received severe disciplinary action and has since left the military. The apology followed a report released on Wednesday by the South Korean Board of Audit and Inspection,
Indonesian police have arrested 13 people after shocking images of alleged abuse against small children at a daycare center went viral, sparking outrage across the nation, officials said on Monday. Police on Friday last week raided Little Aresha, a daycare center in Yogyakarta on Java island, following a report from a former employee. CCTV footage circulating on social media showed children, most younger than two, lying on the floor wearing only diapers, their hands and feet bound with rags. The police have confirmed that the footage is authentic. Police said they also found 20 children crammed into a room just 3m by 3m. “So
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