Key Washington airport to re-open

Security for air travellers will be far tighter

United States' President George W Bush is due to announce the re-opening of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - the last airport to remain closed since terror attacks last month.

Administration officials said that a formal announcement would be made later on Tuesday that the site would re-open in a few days' time, with tough new security measures in force.

These will include more armed air marshals on flights.

The airport was closed immediately after four airborne terror attacks on 11 September.

Two planes were crashed into the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York. The towers collapsed shortly afterwards. A third plane was piloted into the Pentagon building which is close to Reagan National.

A fourth hijacked plane crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside after a what appears to have been a struggle between passengers and the terrorists.

Economic cost

The Washington airport has remained closed until now because of its proximity to the US military nerve centre, as well as the White House and the Capitol building.

People are working very hard to find a balance between security and getting an important airport open again

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer

The closure was a move which correspondents say cost the local economy millions of dollars.

Mr Bush has been concerned about the economic impact of keeping the airport closed, but has also recognised security issues that needed to be dealt with before the facility could become functional.

On Monday White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said: "The president is very hopeful that action can be taken that finds the right balance between the livelihoods involved and the security needs."

He added: "People are working very hard to find a balance between security and getting an important airport open again."

A BBC correspondent in Washington says that the opening will be seen as an important sign that the US is returning to normal.