Monday, November 1, 2010

Bomb plot 'could mean ludicrous new security measures'

Monday, November 1, 2010 Previous editions

Bomb plot 'could mean ludicrous new security measures'


Air passengers could now be subjected to “ludicrous” new security measures in the wake of the cargo plane bomb plot, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said today.

Authorities might now make travel “even more uncomfortable and tedious” for travellers, added Mr O’Leary.

He said most of the terrorist attacks in recent years had not been against passenger aircraft and that aviation security measures already in place were “ludicrously over the top and totally ineffective”.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Mr O’Leary said: “What happens, particularly in the coverage of the Yemeni issues of recent days, is that we have another huge lurch by the securicrats into making travel even more uncomfortable and an even more tedious ordeal for the travelling public,” he said.

“Sadly they always win the day and they lurch around with ludicrous new measures.”

He went on: “Lord only knows what we’ll have now. We will be confiscating white powder at the airports. Talcum powder will probably now be put on a list of banned weapons at airport security.

“The fact is, if you look at most of the terrorist attacks in recent years, they have been on the London Underground, they have been in Madrid on the trains, they haven’t been at airports and they haven’t been against passenger aircraft. Nor has this one been against passenger aircraft.

“So I have no doubt we will have all the securicrats tut-tutting through the remainder of this week about the need for increased security when in actual fact we already have ludicrously over-the- top and, sadly, totally ineffective security measures.”

Mr O’Leary continued: “You have got to be careful with the terminology. It is not yet sure that they have found two bombs on planes; they seem to have found two printer cartridges on planes which falls a long way short of bomb-making material.”

Last week, before the Yemeni incident, British Airways chairman Martin Broughton had called for an easing of airport security measures, an appeal which struck a chord with other aviation bosses.

UK Transport Secretary Philip Hammond had responded by saying that he hoped to ease the passenger experience.


Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews/world/bomb-plot-could-mean-ludicrous-new-security-measures-479929.html#ixzz141N5zOuK

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