BRITAIN: Airline and airport authorities in Britain are investigating claims that undercover reporters smuggled deadly weapons on to a British Airways jet for the second time in just over a week.
Journalists from the Sunday People said they took a four-inch dagger, a razor-sharp stiletto knife and a miniature cleaver onto the Boeing 737 plane at Gatwick bound for Manchester.
The weapons were missed by security and X-ray machines after being concealed in a briefcase and overcoat, the newspaper said.
On board the jet, reporters said they were able to take the weapons to a lavatory adjoining the flight deck from where they could see the cockpit door left open and the cabin crew at the controls.
The alleged breach occurred in Gatwick's north terminal.
Sunday People reporters last week carried two knives and a razor-sharp cleaver on board two domestic British Airways flights from Heathrow and Manchester.
A British Airways spokeswoman said: "Safety and security is our number one priority and we are extremely concerned to hear that the Sunday People has repeated last week's exercise.
"Senior representatives of the British Airways security team are meeting the Department of Transport early next week to discuss how we can ensure there are no similar incidents."
A spokesman for the British Airports Authority said: "While BAA Gatwick appreciates the Sunday People drawing this alleged incident to our attention, we are extremely concerned that the newspaper appears to have deliberately supported actions which contravene security regulations