Thursday, 20 September, 2001, 15:27 GMT 16:27 UK

Frightened travellers 'turn to El Al'

El Al is renowned for its stringent security

Israel's national airline El Al says an increased fear of flying brought about by the terror attacks in America has led to a surge in demand for its flights.

According to reports, the carrier, famed for its rigorous levels of security, has seen a rise in the number of passengers wanting to fly El Al to the United States.

Company spokesman Nahman Kleinman said he expected El Al flights to other parts of the world to show a similar increase.

El Al suffered a major loss in business as tourism to Israel sharply dropped after the Palestinian uprising erupted last September, but the spokesman said renewed demand could offset expected losses of $120m this year.

The turnaround comes at a time when the world's airlines are experiencing a major downturn as a result of the US hijackings.

American Airlines and United Airlines are to cut 40,000 jobs, while British Airways is to shed 7,000 positions because of the effect the attacks have had on consumer confidence.

Lay-offs delayed

El Al, meanwhile, is to shelve plans to make hundreds of redundancies and phase out six Boeing 747-200 jets, Reuters news agency reports.

"Following the surge in demand we have seen since the attacks last week, the key word for us is flexibility. We want to be in a position to provide extra passengers and cargo flights if there is an emergency," said Mr Kleinman.

El Al has a reputation for some of the strictest security measures in the world, implemented after a spate of aircraft hijackings in the 1960s.

Passengers are required to check in three hours before their flight and are subjected to rigorous questioning.

All El Al flights carry armed air marshals and cockpits are sealed to protect against attempted intrusions.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001