Delays for thousands this weekend

Thousands of passengers trying to get away for a Valentine's weekend and the start of the half-term holiday faced continuing delays today following the security clampdown at Britain's airports.

Gatwick

This was by far the worst-hit airport today. Fifty flights were either cancelled or subject to severe delays as airlines struggled to rebuild their schedules following yesterday's disruption which delayed 4,000 passengers

"It is a game of playing catch-up," said a BAA spokesman at the airport. "It is going to take a bit of time to get things back to normal and people should ring their airline before setting off from home."

About 150 passengers who were unable to get hotel rooms spent an uncomfortable night trying to sleep in the terminal.

Stansted

The access road to Stansted's terminal building was closed today because of increased security measures. Police stressed that it was a routine measure and was not as a result of a direct threat.

Inbound and outbound flights were on time but passengers arriving by car were advised to allow an extra 20 minutes for their journey. Drivers were diverted to a car park nearby.

Heathrow

All flights were operating normally today with no delays reported as the massive police and Army operation continued amid fears of a terrorist plot to shoot down a plane.

The security clamp began at Heathrow when 1,700 police and 450 soldiers with tanks were sent in.

The scale of the operation to protect the airport's flightpath has forced police to hire patrol vans, it emerged today. Scores of police and military vehicles are in use but the vast area to be covered meant there were not enough. Officers were seen using large hire vans in Windsor.

Extra police have also been drafted in at other airports, including Manchester, Leeds Bradford International and Jersey.

Meanwhile, in the outlying villages around Windsor Great Park, the massive security operation showed no signs of letting up. In Houghton, Berks, the usually tranquil village green was swarming with police. All traffic passing through the village was checked as planes flew directly overhead at one of the lowest points on the flightpath.