Authorities stepped up airport security across Asia on Friday and banned passengers to the United States and Britain from taking liquids aboard after London said it foiled a plot to blow up transatlantic flights.

Thai Airways followed the British lead by banning hand baggage on flights to the UK and limiting passengers to a few, select items to be carried in transparent plastic bags.

To the United States, it allowed bags as long as they contained no liquids, gels or electronic equipment.

India and New Zealand imposed similar measures as flights were delayed and long queues formed at airports around Asia because of the new security measures, which include frisking and intensive baggage checks.

Indian officials said quick-reaction police teams, armed with light machine guns, stood guard at various airports and plainclothes police were mingling with passengers to check for suspicious characters.

"No hand baggage will be allowed on select flights to some Western destinations," said an officer of the Central Industrial Security Force, the agency responsible for security at Indian airports.

"In all other flights, 50 percent of randomly selected hand baggage is being manually checked."

At Singapore's Changi Airport, passengers traveling to the United States said all checked-in luggage was searched.

"They opened up our check-in luggage and went through everything, and every single compartment," said Aaron Oliver, who was heading to Los Angeles. "There were eight people helping go through the bags for one flight."

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore advised those flying to the United States and United Kingdom to check in at least three hours before departure, to allow time for security.

China's Xinhua news agency said Beijing Airport had banned passengers bound for the United States from taking liquid items such as drinks, shampoos, hair gels, and toothpaste in their hand luggage, adding that passengers would be required to take off their shoes for a check.

In Japan, liquids and gels were banned from carry-on bags for passengers taking flights on US airlines or flights bound for the United States, a spokesman for Tokyo's Narita International Airport said.

"Any liquids, including something like shampoo, are banned," he said. "Obviously, baggage checks are tougher than before and take longer and therefore we are urging passengers to check in early."

The stringent measures were taken after British police arrested 24 people suspected of trying to smuggle bombs disguised as drinks aboard aircraft. US officials said as many as 10 planes might have been targeted.

In Auckland, passengers to the United States and Britain were banned from carrying hand baggage.

Indonesian authorities said they had stepped up airport security, but liquids and hand baggage had not been banned.

"We haven't gone that far, to ban passengers bringing those things," said Wasfan Wahyu Widodo, an official at the state airport operator, PT Angkasa Pura. "We just anticipate it by X-ray and metal detector."

Eric Wong, terminal general manager for the Hong Kong Airport Authority, said passengers had incurred delays of between 20 and 60 minutes.

But Hong Kong's terminal appeared to be running smoothly on Friday afternoon with few lines or even waiting passengers. None of the chaos that ensued last week during passage of Typhoon Prapiroon was apparent.