The quaint notion of air travel as a romantic and relaxing prelude to a summer holiday disappeared around 50 years ago with the advent of mass transit and package holidays.

AN AUDIO recording in which al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden says convicted September 11 plotter Zacarias Moussaoui played no role in the attacks is authentic, a US intelligence official said yesterday.

US Attorney General John Ashcroft has said that people with possible links to the hijackers who carried out the attacks in New York and Washington earlier this month obtained licences to transport hazardous materials.