Heavy queues are likely at UK airports this summer after the government told the airline industry it would not remove restrictions on hand luggage.
At a summit on airport security, held with leaders from British Airways, easyJet, BMI, Virgin Atlantic, and BAA, transport minister Ruth Kelly said she would not lift rules restricting hand luggage to one item per person.
“We will not compromise on the safety of passengers, and this means that the heightened security measures introduced last summer are still necessary,” Kelly said in a statement.
The decision comes amid claims that security measures are responsible for a decline in passenger numbers at Heathrow. At its annual general meeting earlier this week BA urged the government to remove the restrictions.
Its chairman Martin Broughton criticised the restrictions, arguing that they overload the handling system by making passengers put more luggage in the hold. They also made London an unattractive place to visit, he said.
Kelly said the government wanted to work closely with the airline industry towards removing the ban. It was up to the industry to demonstrate this could be done safely, she said.