The UK terror alert status has been raised to ‘severe’, from ‘substantial’. The severe status includes the status of the UK’s airports and also railway terminals.

The rise in status means that the country suffers a strong possibility of a terror attack, so reports the BBC.

Whilst Security Officials say the change in status is precautionary, and that an immediate attack on the UK is not expected, they say there is enough intelligence data to warrant the change. However, such a status change will see airport passengers noticing an increase in the Police presence inside and outside terminal buildings.

Security Officials also say that if an immediate threat was expected then the country would be on a terror status of ‘critical’.

Most of the airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, that had cancelled all flights have now reopened, however all UK airport are suffering from delays.

Heathrow is running a limited service – they have changed their estimated service now until at least 6am on Christmas Eve, although flights are now operating 24 hours a day to help clear the backlog.

Advice is to call the airline you are travelling with before heading to the airport.

Many of the Airports now have Twitter pages – go online and follow the latest updates.

Aberdeen Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

George Best Belfast City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Birmingham Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bristol Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bournemouth Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Cardiff Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Dundee Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Durham Tees Valley Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

East Midlands Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Edinburgh Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Exeter Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Gatwick Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Glasgow Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Heathrow Airport
Reduced flights until at least 6am on Thursday 23rd December. Contact Airline for further information.

Humberside Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Inverness Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Leeds Bradford Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

London City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Luton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Manchester Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newcastle Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newquay Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Norwich Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Plymouth Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Robin Hood Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Southampton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stansted Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stornoway Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Most of the airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, that had cancelled all flights have now reopened, however all UK airport are suffering from delays.

Heathrow is running a limited service until at least 6am on Thursday 23rd December. And George Best Belfast City Airport has cancelled all flights due to severe weather that has come in this afternoon – Tuesday, 2pm.

Advice is to call the airline you are travelling with before heading to the airport.

Many of the Airports now have Twitter pages – go online and follow the latest updates.

Aberdeen Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

George Best Belfast City Airport
All flights cancelled. Check before travelling.

Birmingham Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bristol Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bournemouth Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Cardiff Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Dundee Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Durham Tees Valley Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

East Midlands Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Edinburgh Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Exeter Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Gatwick Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Glasgow Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Heathrow Airport
Reduced flights until at least 6am on Thursday 23rd December. Contact Airline for further information.

Humberside Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Inverness Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Leeds Bradford Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

London City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Luton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Manchester Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newcastle Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newquay Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Norwich Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Plymouth Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Robin Hood Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Southampton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stansted Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stornoway Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Most of the airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, that had cancelled all flights have no reopened, however all UK airport are suffering from delays. Advice is to call the airline you are travelling with.

Aberdeen Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Belfast City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Birmingham Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bristol Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bournemouth Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Cardiff Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Dundee Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Durham Tees Valley Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

East Midlands Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Edinburgh Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Exeter Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Gatwick Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Glasgow Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Heathrow Airport
All flights subject to delay with limited arrivals and departures until at least 6am Wednesday 22nd December. Contact Airline for further information.

Humberside Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Inverness Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Leeds Bradford Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

London City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Luton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Manchester Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newcastle Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newquay Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Norwich Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Plymouth Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Robin Hood Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Southampton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stansted Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stornoway Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

As the UK is hit again by severe snow storms and UK airports delaying flights and some closing runways, check out the latest airport information right here.

Aberdeen Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Belfast City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Birmingham Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bristol Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bournemouth Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Cardiff Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Dundee Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Durham Tees Valley Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

East Midlands Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Edinburgh Airport
All flights cancelled today. Check with the airline you are flying with for further information.

Exeter Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Gatwick Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Glasgow Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Heathrow Airport
All flights cancelled today. The Airport advises to check with the airline they are travelling with for further information.

Humberside Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Inverness Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Leeds Bradford Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

London City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Luton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Manchester Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newcastle Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newquay Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Norwich Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Robin Hood Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Southampton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stansted Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stornoway Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Armed Police escorted striking air traffic control workers back to work on Sunday, 5th December, as the unofficial strikes caused havoc across the UK and Europe.

The Spanish Government had declared the strikes as a ‘state of alert’ which gives the military armed Police the authority to imprison those who refuse to work. This is the first time the Government have used this method of forcing employees back to work since 1975, after the death of General Franco.

Airspace was reopened after workers were told they could face as much as eight years in jail.

Spanish air traffic controllers are actually Europe’s best paid, with annual salaries of up to €1m.

Any passenger concerned about an impending flight to any Spanish airport should contact the airline they are flying with – it is advisable to do this online as phone lines may be very busy.

The UK is experiencing delays across airports all over the country due to the weather, but also because of an unofficial strike by Spanish air traffic controllers. Check out the latest airport closures.

However, if you are due to fly out of the UK today, or have family and friends due to fly into the UK today, please call the airport first before travelling to check their procedures. It is also worth double checking with the airline you are travelling with also.

Be aware that phone lines will be extremely busy – our advice is to check online.

Aberdeen Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Belfast City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Birmingham Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bristol Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Bournemouth Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Cardiff Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Dundee Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Durham Tees Valley Airport
All flights suspended. Check online for further details throughout the day.
Airport advises do not travel to the airport.

East Midlands Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Edinburgh Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Gatwick Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Glasgow Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Heathrow Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Humberside Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Inverness Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Leeds Bradford Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

London City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Luton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Manchester Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newcastle Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newquay Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Norwich Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Robin Hood Airport
All flights suspended. Check airport’s website for latest throughout the day.

Southampton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stansted Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Stornoway Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

A damming comment has been made by BAA’s Head of Security, Ian Hutcheson, as he says that airport security plays into the hands of terrorists as it is far too predictable.

Speaking in the run up to a security conference held by the International Civil Avaitation Organisations in Switzerland, he said he favoured more sophisticated techniques such as behavioural detection whereby staff are trained to look for suspicious and unusual behaviour in passengers whilst they are in the airport.

Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, he said that airports should be given greater freedom in managing their own security, and that if security is mirrored in every airport across the globe it is far too predictable for terrorists.

The comments come as Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, is lobbying for great flexibility in airport security across the country.

As the Met Office warns of snow across the UK, what could this mean for air travellers?

If the predictions are correct and the UK does indeed have snow, a significant fall could affect flights arrivals and departures.

Here are a few tips on what you can do to check the status of your flight:

Check with your airline
Air passengers should note that it is your airline that is responsible for your flight, not your airport. So, if your airport is affected by heavy snow, check with your airline before you set off for the airport.

Check your airport
Although ultimate responsibility for your flight rests with your airline, you could also check your airport’s website – this can give you information about whether your departure airport or, in the case of a domestic flight, your destination airport is open. Sometimes, more up-to-date information can actually be found on the website of your destination airport.

Get online:
Trying to call your airline will prove near impossible if flights are severely affected by snow. Go online and check their website. After last winter’s snow, many airlines set up special pages advising of flight delays and cancellations.

Use Twitter:
Yes, I know not everyone who uses Twitter ‘gets it’ straight away, but it really is a great way to get information. Sign up now and follow your airline and local airport,  so that you can send them a direct message about your flight. Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/UKairports) and watch for retweets of travel information

If you have any other tips or advice on what to do and how to get up-to-date information on flights please feel free to add a comment.

Similar to the UK’s own Air Passenger Duty tax, Austria has introduced this month a new Ecological Air Travel Levy.

All passengers on European flights from Austria will be charged an €8 levy, whilst long haul flights departing from the country will be charged €40.

Germany, as from 1st January 2011, is also to launch a new airline tax. It is anticipated that many other European countries will also launch such tax schemes.