John Reid has held talks with key European counterparts on the threat to aviation security following last week's thwarted terrorist plot.
The home secretary was expected to ask EU ministers to step up security measures.
Reid was joined at the Home Office by the interior ministers of France, Germany, Finland, Portugal and Slovenia.
European Commission vice president Franco Frattini and EU counter-terrorism co-ordinator Gijs De Vries also attended.
Speaking after the discussions, Reid said the extra airport security had been "imposed in order to defeat terrorism and to protect our public".
He said that was what EU ministers "have as our highest priority".
"It's very important that the measures that are taken in one country are reflected in other countries because we want equal security for all our countries," Reid added.
"It's not possible to fight terrorism without inconvenience. It's deeply regretful if someone loses their baggage. It's far more regretful if they lose their life.
"It's terrible if somebody is delayed, but a delay is more acceptable than death."
A spokesman from the Home Office said international co-operation "is absolutely essential to combat terrorism".
"Investigation after investigation underlines the international nature of this current form of terrorism, and it is through working closely with our partners, both in Europe and beyond, that we are able to respond to the threat effectively," he added.
The Commission has also confirmed that experts on air security and counter-terrorism will also meet in Brussels either on Thursday or Friday this week to discuss "at technical level" what impact the events will have on current EU measures.
