South African Airways (SAA) is not cancelling flights to the United Kingdom yet, but warned of lengthy delays on return flights. However, all passengers flying to the United States from Johannesburg International airport will not be able to indulge in duty free products such as perfumes or alcohol because all liquids and gels have been banned on these flights.
According to SAA spokesperson Jacqui O’Sullivan, at this stage flights SA234 and SA236 from Johannesburg to London, and flight SA220 from Cape Town to London, will depart as scheduled.
She said the airline does advise customers to expect longer security processing times in London following the implementation of additional security measures by UK aviation authorities after this morning’s security threats in London.
In her statement, she also said that UK authorities had issued restrictions on hand luggage for passengers departing from London. Only essential items will be allowed to be carried on board.
Wallets and purses (pocket size), essential medicine that is marked with name of passenger, unboxed tissues, feminine hygiene products and spectacles (not boxed) will be allowed. All other items will have to be placed in the hold.
Passengers will be hand searched, have footwear removed and be x-rayed. Pushchairs and walking aids will also be checked and screened.
No electrical or battery powered items including laptops, mobile phones, iPods or remote controls can be carried in the cabin and must be checked in as hold baggage.
The extra security precautions and the prohibition of liquids on US flights are a result of the raised security at British airports after alleged terrorists aimed to smuggle explosives on to planes, flying from the UK to the US, in hand luggage.
The liquid explosives would then have been detonated during the flights, according to deputy commissioner Paul Stephenson from London’s metropolitan police.
The only liquids that passengers flying to the US will be allowed to take on board are baby formula, breast milk, juice for a small child, prescription medicine, insulin and essential non-prescription medicines.
SAA operates three flights a day to London — a flight from Johannesburg at 8.10pm, another at 8.40pm and a flight from Cape Town at 7pm. The next SAA return flight is on Friday morning. The airline is monitoring the situation “on a minute-by-minute basis, not even hourly”, said O’Sullivan.
Other European airlines with flights in-bound to Britain have been temporarily cancelled at the request of the British Airports Authority (BAA).
Twenty-one people, mostly of Pakistani origin, were detained after a pre-dawn raid in Birmingham and the Thames Valley area of south-east England on Thursday after intelligence reports of what one officer described as a bid to cause “untold death and destruction”.
British Home Secretary John Reid told a press conference that police were confident “the main players have been accounted for”.
According to the police press statement, released early on Thursday morning, the arrests were the culmination of a major covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months. The statement added that the investigation was likely to be “lengthy and complex”. Stephenson said this was the “first phase” of the operation.
British police hinted that more arrests were likely.