A Glaswegian baggage handler who helped police tackle a suspected car bomber has been rewarded with a visit to Downing Street and the congratulations of Gordon Brown.

Just over a month after the attack on Glasgow Airport, in which a Jeep filled with gas cylinders and covered in petrol was driven into the terminal building, John Smeaton, who won national fame in a series of frank, uncompromising interviews about his actions, was thanked for his bravery by the Prime Minister.

Mr Brown said that Mr Smeaton, who has had a website dedicated to him, was owed a debt of gratitude by the country. "He is a hero and we are proud of him," he said.

The BAA worker won the admiration of the country and a worldwide internet following after helping police to restrain a man in flames at the airport. Interviewed afterwards, he said his first thought, on being confronted by two suspects in the burning vehicle was: "What's the score? I've got to get this sorted."

He told interviewers: "There was a guy in flames. You just don't expect to see that on a day at work, especially at Glasgow Airport. So I ran straight towards the guy, we're all trying to get a kick-in at him, take a boot to subdue the guy."

One of the men he tackled, Kafeel Ahmed, 27, died of his burns at Glasgow Royal Infirmary last night.

After a short conversation with the Prime Minister, today Mr Smeaton, who, aged 31, was making his first visit to London, said: "I really can’t believe it. He’s such a nice man, a true gentleman. I am totally stunned; you can see the smile across my face. I’m lost for words for once in my life."

The death of Mr Ahmed, who suffered burns to 90 per cent of his body, was announced last night, 33 days after the attempted attack.

The engineer from Bangalore, India, was one of two men detained at the airport after the burning car was driven into the terminal building. Bilal Abdullah, 27, an Iraqi doctor, was arrested and charged with conspiring to cause explosions "of a nature likely to endanger life or cause serious injury".

The Glasgow Airport attack followed two suspected car bomb attempts in central London when police discovered two vehicles allegedly laden with gas canisters and fuel.

Kafeel Ahmed's brother, Dr Sabeel Ahmed, 26, from Liverpool, is among three doctors who have been charged in connection with the attempted bomb attacks. Dr Ahmed is accused of not disclosing information that could have helped police arrest a suspected terrorist.

Mohammed Asha, 26, of Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, was arrested on the M6 motorway near Sandbach, in Cheshire, on the day of the airport attack. He is accused with Mr Abdullah of conspiring to cause explosions between January 1 and July 1. The two men are expected to appear at the Old Bailey on September 10 for a committal hearing.

Doctors at GRI said last month they had little hope of Mr Ahmed surviving his injuries. A doctor told how he had third-degree burns over most of his torso and limbs. “It is beyond repair and because he has lost so much skin he is now vulnerable to infection and won’t be able to fight it,” the doctor, speaking anonymously said.

The Indian parents of the terror suspect said today that they were still waiting official confirmation he was their son. “We are waiting for confirmation of the identity of the person who received 80 percent burns,” the family's lawyer, B. T. Venkatash told the AFP news agency. “Till today, British authorities have not identified him as Kafeel Ahmed [to his family],” the lawyer said. “Once we get information regarding the same we will be able to make a statement."

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