In a statement released by the White House, Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta says that commercial and private planes would be allowed to fly starting at 11 a.m. Thursday EDT. Passengers were urged to check with airlines on flight schedules and available service, and allow time to deal with new security procedures.

In the wake of Tuesday's terror attack in which four airplanes were hijacked--two from Logan, one from Washington's Dulles Airport and one from New Jersey's Newark Airport--and used to destroy the World Trade Center and part of the Pentagon, the FAA has issued a list of mandated security procedures for all major airports.

In a released statement, Virginia Buckingham, executive director and CEO of Massachusetts Port Authority says, "When Logan Airport has met the requirements, the airport will be opened. I want to stress that when operations do begin, service is likely to be very limited." In her statement Buckingham adds that it is up to individual airports and airlines to ensure that they have complied with the enhanced security directives. Logan is currently being treated as a crime scene.