Gwent travellers 'grateful' for extra security (From South Wales Argus)

Gwent travellers 'grateful' for extra security

11:53am Thursday 10th August 2006

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THERE was a heavy police presence in and around Cardiff airport today, with the car park immediately outside the terminal closed.

Armed officers stood guard outside the main entrances to the departures hall and the car park and many more officers were inside the building.

A Cardiff Airport spokesman said the 42 flights scheduled to take off this morning would be delayed by up to one and a half hours.

Gareth Jones, 61, and wife, Mary, 60, from Birch Grove, Henllys, Cwmbran, had been queueing for over four hours at 9.30am.

On their way to Virginia, USA, for a holiday and business trip combined, their initial flight to Amsterdam had been scheduled for 5.55am.

However, airport staff said the delay was due to a technical fault and not a security issue.

Mr Jones, an automation engineer who had returned from his work's headquarters in Nigeria the day before, said: "I'm impressed by the way it has been handled. Having travelled for 25 years and suffered a bomb scare on one flight, I don't mind things like this."

Mr Jones said he didn't mind his laptop being stored in the hold, "as long as I get it back afterwards".

Robert Price, 59, and his wife, Linda, 55, from Stow Hill, Newport, were flying to Malaga for a two-day break to meet family over there.

Mrs Price, a housewife, said: "It's a long wait but I really rather that than having lax security and be killed."

Mr Price, a property manager, said they were grateful for the extra security.

"It's quite impressive that they are clearing passengers through so quickly," he said.

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