Passenger jet from London Heathrow was supposed to land in Northern Ireland with 80 passengers but there were 160 instead - NI is only part of UK not to issue travel regulations in light of new Covid variant - Education Minister Peter Weir accused of putting the lives of school children and teachers at risk

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Passenger jet from London Heathrow was supposed to land in Northern Ireland with 80 passengers but there were 160 instead - NI is only part of UK not to issue travel regulations in light of new Covid variant - Education Minister Peter Weir accused of putting the lives of school children and teachers at risk

By Andrew Quinn

Published 21st Dec 2020, 10:27 BST

Updated 21st Dec 2020, 20:38 BST

A flight departing London Heathrow had double the amount of passengers than had been originally anticipated when it touched down in Northern Ireland on Sunday according to Sinn Fein MLA, Pat Sheehan.

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Passengers queue for check-in at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex, amid concerns that borders will close and with the public being urged to adhere to Government guidance after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday that from Sunday areas in the South East currently in Tier 3 will be moved into a new Tier 4 for two weeks - effectively returning to the lockdown rules of November, after scientists warned of the rapid spread of the new variant coronavirus.

placeholder image — Passengers queue for check-in at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex, amid concerns that borders will close and with the public being urged to adhere to Government guidance after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday that from Sunday areas in the South East currently in Tier 3 will be moved into a new Tier 4 for two weeks - effectively returning to the lockdown rules of November, after scientists warned of the rapid spread of the new variant coronavirus.

Northern Ireland Peter Weir Sinn Fein Pat Sheehan