British Airways plans to add a surcharge to all tickets to pay for additional security and insurance costs in the wake of the U.S. terrorist attacks, the carrier announced Friday.

The charge of 2.50 pounds ($3.65) will be added to the cost of every ticket issued after Nov. 9, and will apply to all passengers on international and domestic flights, BA said. BA said that since the Sept. 11 attacks, its insurance premiums had gone up ``significantly.'' The airline announced earlier this week that all 340 of its planes will be fitted with full-length metal armor plates to reinforce cockpit doors and prevent unauthorized access to the flight deck. The carrier is also strengthening its flight deck door locks and hinges. ``Safety and security is our number one priority and we hope that our passengers will understand why, in the current circumstances, we have introduced this surcharge,'' said Dale Moss, BA's director of worldwide sales. The airline carries around 40 million passengers a year.