London-bound passengers fearful but determined

Levina Cuthbert is apprehensive as she watches her daughter go through the departure gates at Auckland Airport - destination London. But neither she nor her daughter Elizabeth Hawes, who has lived in London for five years, want to see "the terrorists win".

"I am a bit scared for her but I know that's what they want," Mrs Cuthbert said. "They want people to be scared. They want to disrupt people's lives."

Ms Hawes' partner is English, and when the news hit she tried for a frantic half-hour to call him. He works near one of the Tube stations where a bomb went off.

"I was a little worried, but it's quite sad in that in London you do get used to bomb threats."

Other travellers at Auckland Airport yesterday were thankful they were not in London at the time of the bombings - but remained worried about friends and relatives.

Lions supporter and London resident Tom Baynton-Williams had had little sleep since the news.

"We have friends calling each other but there are some we haven't heard from. It's a shocking and scary time and it's something you don't get used to."

Stuart and Val Flexman nearly cancelled their plans to visit their daughter in London.

"It is definitely going to affect tourism," Mr Flexman said.

"We were wondering whether we should go over at all ... but we thought if something had happened to her we would be going anyway, so this is a better reason."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY