Extra security measures imposed by America on all those wishing to fly to the country have resulted in delays on most flights leaving British airports. The new security measures were ordered within hours of the Nigerian man who attempted to set of a bomb on a Northwest Airlines plane travelling from Amsterdam to Detroit was taken into custody. The new measures, imposed indefinitely by the U.S. Transport Security Administration, will now require every America bound passenger to undergo an extra pat down as well as have their hand luggage thoroughly searched just before they board their aircraft.

As well as the extra searches passengers will be told that they must strictly observe the one piece of hand luggage per person rules. Passengers will also be told that they will be unable to leave their seats for the final hour of their flight. The cabins mapping system which shows passengers how far they are from their destination must also be disabled on all flights coming into the U.S. according to officials. This has caused some airlines to have to abandon their whole in flight entertainment systems.

Head of security at BAA until 1996, Norman Shanks points out that the imposed security measures are unlikely to do anything more than delay passengers. He pointed out that people did not need a mapping display to tell them when they are about to land, the careful use of a window could do this, and that being seated was no guarantee that a bomber would not be able to detonate a device. He points out that Richard Reid was seated as he tried to set off his shoe bomb in 2001.