AIRLINES and tour operators have slammed the lack of planning for a critical security alert almost five years after the September 11 attacks.
The Federation of Tour Operators has called for an independent inquiry. Chairman Ian Ailles said: “We feel let down by inadequate staffing and lack of contingency planning.”
No FTO members cancelled any flights following emergency security measures. But Ailles said: “It’s not clear how security arrangements at times of heightened tension have improved since 9/11.”
First Choice Holidays marketing director Tim Williamson backed the call. “Customers have suffered because of a lack of resources and procedures to deal with security at the highest level.
“We coped because airlines put in extra staff and everyone rallied round, but it should have been coordinated between airports.”
British Airways suffered the worst disruption after airports operator BAA ordered the cancellation of one-third of flights from Heathrow and Gatwick at the weekend, chiefly short-haul and domestic services.
Some BA flights that did depart left without passengers, and a baggage-belt failure at Terminal 1 led to 10,000 bags being left behind.
Chief executive Willie Walsh hit out, saying: “We were ready to operate a full schedule. However, BAA was unable to provide a robust security search process and baggage operation.”
Disruption continued this week, with BA predicting the cancellation of one in 10 flights at Heathrow on Wednesday. Analysts put the costs to the airline at more than £50 million.
Virgin Atlantic said it would seek compensation for its share of the problems.
Ryanair, worst hit of the other scheduled airlines, accused BAA of reneging on a pledge to have enough security staff at Stansted to operate normally by Tuesday.
A spokesman said: “Only seven of 14 security gates were open an hour before the first departure.”
It called on the Government to send in troops to cut the queues.
BAA conceded it needed hundreds more staff at Heathrow, but argued it could not have planned for such “exceptional circumstances” and would have needed 50% more staff to cope.