Air security threat declared over

The "credible" threat which led to the cancellation of flights between Britain and the US has passed, as criticism of the disruption grew.

Six transatlantic flights were scrapped in the past two days - all US-bound from Britain and France - as a result of security fears.

As passengers were re-routed or granted refunds, the affected airlines - British Airways, Air France and Continental - said no more cancellations were planned.

A US official formally announced that current intelligence did not indicate any more threats against specific flights.

'Stoking fears'

But the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) warned the "erratic" way in which flights had been cancelled was stoking the public's fears about security.

General secretary Jim McAuslan said: "It is the sort of thing that feeds public disquiet rather than resolves the concern of passengers, pilots and the UK industry as a whole."

He called on the Government to examine the security information from America as worries grew over its quality.

"We have to take all these intelligence briefings very seriously but we are asking the British Government to examine the strength and validity of them," he said.

"These cancellations were made because of US intelligence and the airline is quite right to cancel the flights.

"But we are pressing the Government to examine these claims from the USA, particularly as President Bush has called for an examination of the quality of intelligence before and during the Iraq war."

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