Armed police may be put on aircraft to foil hijackers

Undercover sky marshals could be stationed on British passenger flights under plans being considered by ministers to thwart threats from terrorist hijackers.

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, and Alistair Darling, the Secretary of State for Transport, are evaluating the proposals as part of a review of airline security.

Proposals for armed police to patrol flights from Britain are contained in an unpublished annexe to a government report by Sir John Wheeler, a former Conservative minister. A summary of the report, published last month, did not disclose plans for the marshals.

The Home Office and the Department of Transport acknowledged yesterday that the proposal was under consideration, but insisted that no decisions had been taken. A Home Office spokeswoman said: "It is on the table, as are a number of other options."

Sky marshals were introduced on American and other airliners in response to the 11 September attacks. The marshals are armed and given specialist training to overpower hijackers within the confines of aircraft. A similar scheme in Australia, in which security personnel are placed on random flights, costs £50m a year.

A spokeswoman for British Airways said: "Clearly as a responsible airline we have concerns about the use of firearms on board our aircraft but we are working closely with the Government on its plans to put armed guards on board commercial aircraft.

"We would like to reassure our customers that safety remains at the heart of everything we do and we will never do anything to compromise this."

Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who stepped down as chairman of his easyJet airline last week, said it would be better for passengers and crew to overpower any hijackers than for armed sky marshals to be used. "I am a bit worried about guns on planes," he told the BBC's Breakfast With Frost programme. "It's the last place you want guns. What if [the marshals] are overpowered, what if [the guns] fall in to the wrong hands?"

Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat transport spokesman, said: "This is a welcome proposal that has the potential to reduce any terrorist threat and reassure passengers. But it must be done in conjunction with the airlines, and with their full support."

Mr Foster added: "Despite the tightening of security at airports, far more needs to be done about recent worrying incidents of people infiltrating high-security areas," he said. "It is now time to give airport operators the sole responsibility for the issuing of security passes. At present, far too many different bodies are involved. There is clear potential for confusion and a risk of inadequate levels of safety at airports as a result."

A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic said: "The safety and security of our passengers is our paramount concern. We are always looking at ways of enhancing our security measures and are happy to discuss with the Government any new proposals it has to offer.

"Since 11 September, our focus has been on two areas ­ strengthening and protecting the security of the flight deck and enhancing the screening and profiling of passengers and baggage."

* The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said any expansion of the capital's runway capacity should be at Stansted or Gatwick rather than Heathrow, where the environmental impact would be unacceptable.