THE Government will ban airlines threatened by any millennium bug from UK airports next New Year.
A spokesman for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions said permits to land would be withdrawn from carriers which could not prove systems were ready.
“Safety is the bottom line,” he said.
He said the department was in touch with airlines and airports to ensure procedures were in place to cope with any problems.
British Airways, which is spending ú100m on its computer systems, and other UK carriers are set to be ready by the summer.
No major airline has said it will not fly over the millennium period due to the bug, although some are concerned airports and air traffic control may be unprepared.
n Jersey European Airways has announced it will not fly on New Year’s Day 2000. The carrier said there would not be much demand, and it wanted to give holiday to as many staff as possible.