international flights and selected domestic flights would be protected by armed
sky marshals.
A spokesperson for the National Police Agency said that no timescale for the introduction of
sky marshals had been set.
So our new
sky marshals, instead of being a last line of defence in a sturdy safety system, will be no more than a potentially lethal front designed to cover woeful inadequacies of a cowboy outfit.
One UK holiday airline, Thomas Cook Airlines, said it would refuse to operate flights if
sky marshals were put on board.
Nothing should compromise passenger safety and unless we receive clear guidelines on procedure regarding
sky marshals we will not fly with them on board."
COUNTER terrorism chiefs are to reconsider deploying
sky marshals on British aircraft following the failed syringe bombing.
THE deployment of armed
sky marshals on some planes pre-empted an American demand for their introduction, it emerged yesterday.
A Thomas Cook Airlines spokesman: 'For the time being, if a
sky marshal presents himself, we will cancel the flight.
Mr Darling said
sky marshals would be the "last line of defence" and they were among a series of measures being put in place - including improved screening of passengers and baggage - to prevent hijackings.
``If the level of risk is so high that a
sky marshal has to be deployed, it would be easier to just not operate that flight.''
Airlines had previously expressed anxiety about the
sky marshal plan.
Airlines, which were consulted during the security review, had previously expressed anxiety about the
sky marshal plan.