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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Review sought after Stansted demo | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Ryanair has called for an urgent review of security at Stansted airport after protesters cut through a fence and caused major disruption to flights. | Ryanair has called for an urgent review of security at Stansted airport after protesters cut through a fence and caused major disruption to flights. |
| The Irish-based budget airline has criticised the airport's operator, BAA, for its handling of the incident. | The Irish-based budget airline has criticised the airport's operator, BAA, for its handling of the incident. |
| Police arrested 57 people, and 52 flights were cancelled because of the protest by environmental campaigners. | Police arrested 57 people, and 52 flights were cancelled because of the protest by environmental campaigners. |
| BAA said it could not police every inch of the airport all the time, adding it did not want to run it as a "fortress". | BAA said it could not police every inch of the airport all the time, adding it did not want to run it as a "fortress". |
| Stephen McNamara, head of communications for Ryanair, told the BBC that BAA needed to come clean over the actions of protest group Plane Stupid. | Stephen McNamara, head of communications for Ryanair, told the BBC that BAA needed to come clean over the actions of protest group Plane Stupid. |
| 'Suffragette-style' | 'Suffragette-style' |
| He said: "There's three very important questions that need to be answered here by the BAA and Stansted. | He said: "There's three very important questions that need to be answered here by the BAA and Stansted. |
| "They are - exactly why were protesters able to breach security at 3am this morning, why did it take over five hours to remove them from the taxi-way, and why as a result of this... thousands of passengers had their travel plans interrupted by what we see as just the latest management failure at Stansted airport." | "They are - exactly why were protesters able to breach security at 3am this morning, why did it take over five hours to remove them from the taxi-way, and why as a result of this... thousands of passengers had their travel plans interrupted by what we see as just the latest management failure at Stansted airport." |
| There has been a mixture of anger and understanding in response to the climate-change protest, which the demonstrators said was prompted by their fears over the environmental impact of expansion at the Essex airport. | There has been a mixture of anger and understanding in response to the climate-change protest, which the demonstrators said was prompted by their fears over the environmental impact of expansion at the Essex airport. |
| A Greenpeace spokesman said: "The Climate Change secretary Ed Miliband called for a suffragette-style movement to pressure governments to act. Well, he got his wish. | A Greenpeace spokesman said: "The Climate Change secretary Ed Miliband called for a suffragette-style movement to pressure governments to act. Well, he got his wish. |
| "The suffragettes were disruptive and lambasted by the establishment of the day, but have been utterly vindicated by history, and no doubt it will be the same with Plane Stupid. | "The suffragettes were disruptive and lambasted by the establishment of the day, but have been utterly vindicated by history, and no doubt it will be the same with Plane Stupid. |
| Stansted passengers speak of delays | |
| "The delays to passengers are unfortunate, but right now we're in the most important hundred months in human history as we try to beat climate change before it's too late - and the government's plans to expand airports could destroy our chances before we start." | "The delays to passengers are unfortunate, but right now we're in the most important hundred months in human history as we try to beat climate change before it's too late - and the government's plans to expand airports could destroy our chances before we start." |
| 'Enormous area' | 'Enormous area' |
| Plane Stupid has a history of evading strict security while ensuring maximum media attention. | Plane Stupid has a history of evading strict security while ensuring maximum media attention. |
| In July, one of the group's activists unsuccessfully tried to glue himself to Prime Minister Gordon Brown at an awards ceremony. | In July, one of the group's activists unsuccessfully tried to glue himself to Prime Minister Gordon Brown at an awards ceremony. |
| Also earlier this year, demonstrators climbed onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament and unfurled a banner protesting plans to build a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport.Ryanair told passengers to go home and re-book online | Also earlier this year, demonstrators climbed onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament and unfurled a banner protesting plans to build a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport.Ryanair told passengers to go home and re-book online |
| BAA has defended itself against Ryanair's criticism, with commercial director Nick Barton telling the BBC there was never any possibility that the intruders could have reached the runway or planes. | BAA has defended itself against Ryanair's criticism, with commercial director Nick Barton telling the BBC there was never any possibility that the intruders could have reached the runway or planes. |
| He said: "You should bear in mind, of course, that the runway is about 2,000 acres [8 sq km] in size. It is an enormous area, and we don't intend to run an airport as a fortress." | He said: "You should bear in mind, of course, that the runway is about 2,000 acres [8 sq km] in size. It is an enormous area, and we don't intend to run an airport as a fortress." |
| But Mr McNamara said passengers blamed Ryanair for the delays to their flights because of its visibility, and repeated a call for BAA to be broken up "and Stansted to be allowed to stand on its own". | But Mr McNamara said passengers blamed Ryanair for the delays to their flights because of its visibility, and repeated a call for BAA to be broken up "and Stansted to be allowed to stand on its own". |
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| Protester Lily Kember says "people need to take responsibility" over climate change |