Terror fears delay BA flight again

British Airways' BA223 flight from Heathrow to Washington DC has been delayed for a third day running over terrorism fears.

About 200 passengers were left to sit in the aircraft at Heathrow while BA waited for clearance for the flight from the American authorities.

This particular flight - one of three BA operates daily to the US capital - was cancelled on both January 1 and 2, and took off about three hours late on Saturday and Sunday.

"We had hoped to take off on time at 3.15pm but now we are waiting for the word from the Americans," said a BA spokeswoman.

The US authorities have cited specific terrorism threats as the reason for the continued disruption to this particular service.

The delay came as the concern over the American insistence of the use of armed sky marshals on some transatlantic flights grew.

One UK holiday airline, Thomas Cook Airlines, said it would refuse to operate flights if sky marshals were put on board.

The move by the carrier, whose destinations include the Florida resorts of Orlando and Miami, came ahead of a crucial meeting when the airline pilots' union Balpa will press the Government for an all-embracing agreement on the use of sky marshals.

As Balpa met British Airways to discuss the sky marshal initiative, two Government ministers defended the disruption to transatlantic flights due to terrorism fears.

One of the ministers - Transport Secretary Alistair Darling - will meet Balpa officials over the sky marshals controversy.

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