Learning English - Words in the News 11 August, 2006 - Published 14:49 GMT Security scare hits airport economy | ||||||||||||
Stringent security restrictions, including an almost total ban on hand luggage, remain in place at British airports after an alleged plot to blow up passenger aircraft. The incident triggered an intense debate on levels of airport security and the economics of running both airports and airlines. This report from Mark Gregory: In the short term the financial fall out on airlines from Thursday's security alert at Britain's airports is not likely to be serious. Shares in British Airways, the British flag carrier, for example, have already begun to recover after falling five percent on Thursday. But both airlines and airports face some serious economic issues in the longer term, especially if restrictions on carrying hand luggage remain in place. The bulk of airline profits come from business travellers flying in higher priced seats. How much of this lucrative traffic would disappear if business flyers were permanently barred from taking their laptops as hand luggage? It's an issue the airlines may have to grapple with. Airports face equally serious concerns. Sales of luxury goods and duty free items to travellers waiting for flights bring in large amounts of revenue. How much of this would disappear if travellers were no longer allowed to take what they've bought onto the plane? By one estimate, global airport sales of duty free drink, perfume and so forth amounted to 27 billion dollars last year. Tougher airport security restrictions could undermine the economics of airlines, airports, and of luxury goods manufacturers, the likes of Gucci and Prada, who make healthy profits from airport sales. stringent security restrictions triggered an intense debate financial fall out the bulk of airline profits lucrative permanently barred from taking their laptops to grapple with and so forth undermine the economics of airlines | LATEST STORIES 27 May, 2011 Destruction of smallpox virus delayed 25 May, 2011 Micro-finance 'misused and abused' 20 May, 2011 Lonely planets 18 May, 2011 Germany to invest in more electric cars 16 May, 2011 Argentina builds a tower of books Other Stories | |||||||||||