NI air travel returning to normal

Passengers have been advised to liase with their airlines

Flights leaving Northern Ireland's airports are getting back to normal following heightened security measures over a suspected plot to blow up jets.

Thousands had flights cancelled or delayed on Thursday, and Friday saw some delays and cancellations.

Belfast International Airport says some items bought after passing security can now be brought onto planes.

The city airport is not permitting hand luggage. Items containing liquid or gel remain banned on long-haul flights.

Travellers can only bring travel documents, medicines and other essentials through security.

Spokesmen for both airports said their operations were getting back to normal.

Belfast International Airport spokesman Uel Hoey said: "We have a few minor delays and obviously it takes a little more time in the process of getting people through.

Many flights were delayed or cancelled on Thursday

"But, effectively, business is back to normal and we have the normal level of activity that you would expect at this time of year on a Friday."

Brian Carlin from George Best Belfast City Airport said that, apart from cancellations on planes to and from Birmingham and Stanstead, it was business as usual.

"Things are a lot more normal today than they were yesterday. We have had two cancellations, the Air Berlin flight to Stanstead and the British Airways flight to Birmingham, but everything else is pretty much as normal," he said.

On Thursday, security at all airports in the UK was stepped up after police made arrests following an anti-terrorist operation lasting several months

It is thought that the suspects were planning to blow up several planes by using liquid explosives carried in soft-drink bottles, and detonators disguised as electronic equipment.