St. John's feels impact of airline crackdown

Passengers at St. John's International Airport were being warned about delays on Monday because of tougher security measures, although only one flight to the United States was seriously affected.

New restrictions and heightened security were put in place across Canada and at foreign airports after a Nigerian man was charged with trying to destroy a plane during a transatlantic flight on Friday.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had travelled from Nigeria to Amsterdam, and then on to Detroit, allegedly with an explosive device attached to his body.

In St. John's on Monday there was only one flight bound for the U.S., a Continental Airlines flight to Newark, N.J., Bob Nurse, the Director of Security and Emergency Response at St. John's International, told CBC News.

"We have a 50-passenger aircraft that goes transborder. A full pat-down of those folks with 50 passengers takes about five minutes a person," Nurse said.

"As long as we start early, we'll finish on time and the flight will get out on time," he said, adding that the airport authority has adjusted staffing levels.

Still, he said, it is important that passengers be aware they should arrive early for their flights.