Grounded flight 'set to take off'

Security at airports has increased

Flight 223 from Heathrow to Washington will take off on Tuesday after it was grounded amid security fears on Monday, British Airways has said.

BA 223 and the return flight BA 222 were cancelled on Sunday and Monday after a "credible" threat by al-Qaeda.

BA, Air France and Continental Airlines also grounded other transatlantic flights on Sunday following US advice.

British airline pilots are now urging the UK Government to examine the quality of the US intelligence.

BA 223 was the subject of concern early in January, when it was cancelled twice because of security fears and then delayed for hours several more times.

On Monday the general secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association, Jim McAuslan, said: "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.

CANCELLATIONS Continental Airlines flight 17 Glasgow-LA 1 Feb BA flight 203 London-Miami 1 Feb BA flight 223 London-Washington 1 Feb & 2 Feb BA flight 222 Washington-London 1 Feb & 2 Feb Air France AF026 Paris-Washington 1 Feb & 2 Feb Air France AF027 Washington-Paris 1 Feb & 2 Feb What can I do if my flight has been cancelled?

"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 (George) Bush has called for an examination of the quality of intelligence before and during the Iraq war."

A spokesman for the Department for Transport refused to discuss the nature of the intelligence from the US.

But he said: "Our intelligence services are in touch with their American counterparts and keep security under regular and constant review and take whatever response is necessary."

The cancellations came after the US Department of Homeland Security said there "was specific credible threat information that was shared with some foreign governments, including the British and French Governments, and the decisions were made to cancel these flights."

US officials believe al-Qaeda is again trying to target international flights.

Air France grounded the Paris to Washington 026 service, and the return flight 027.