Copyright 2002 The Christian Science Publishing Society Christian Science Monitor (Boston, MA)
July 12, 2002, Friday
SECTION: USA; Pg. 02
LENGTH: 727
words
HEADLINE: House OKs guns in the cockpit,
but battle still looms
BYLINE: Gail Russell
Chaddock and Alexandra Marks Staff writers of The Christian Science Monitor
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
HIGHLIGHT: The bill passed the House by a wide
margin, but it may not take off in the Senate.
BODY: A surprisingly strong House vote to let
pilots carry arms on planes is reviving prospects for a similar
bill in the Senate - and signaling deep concerns with progress in making air
travel safer.
The Bush White House, the
Transportation Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and most
airlines oppose the plan, saying it would detract from the real job of pilots,
which is flying the plane. And in the Senate, the committee chairman best
positioned to push this issue or block it from reaching the floor is squarely in
opposition.
"Pilots should be focused on their
primary duty: the safe operation of the plane. Guns are a diversion," says
Andrew Davis, a spokesman for Sen. Ernest Hollings (D) of South Carolina,
chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. It makes no sense to spend
billions for new airport security to keep weapons off planes, only to legislate
them back on, he adds.
But feelings run just as
high on the other side of this issue, which raises difficult questions about
using weapons to keep the flying public safe. Supporters of guns in cockpits
include some of the most powerful lobbies in Washington, including the AFL-CIO
and the National Rifle Association, which is already telling senators that their
vote on this issue will affect endorsements in the next election.
Lawmakers are also closely watching an even more
important indicator: public confidence in Washington's ability to protect the
skies from a terrorist threat. Following Sept. 11, polls showed more some 3 in 4
Americans favored arming pilots, a sentiment which is shared by an even larger
percentage of pilots themselves.
After
Wednesday's lopsided 310-to-113 vote in the House, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) of
California - a strong gun opponent - joined Sen. Robert Smith (R) of New
Hampshire and 11 other senators who are cosponsoring a bill to allow any
qualified pilot to carry a gun.
"I think this is
the first time I have ever stood with Senator Smith on an issue that has
involved guns," Senator Boxer said Wednesday. "However, I have decided that
until I am satisfied with the number of air marshals on commercial flights, this
bill is a necessity. Indeed, it is a matter of life and death."
Still, whether to arm remains a deeply emotional
issue. For those in favor, like the Air Line Pilots Association, it's a simple
question of safety and self-defense. They contend that if anyone gets in the
cockpit, pilots need the tools protect themselves, their crew, and passengers.
Right now, the best weapon they have is the crash ax, which is strapped to the
back of the door.
"Since 9/11, we are very aware
of anything that is happening anywhere around the cockpit door. We're aware of
where the crash ax is, of where our heavy flashlight is, anything that could be
used as a weapon," says Al Aitken, a pilot for American Airlines and member of
the Allied Pilots Association's Committee for Armed Defense of the Cockpit. "But
I don't want to have to use these, because that involves close-in, hand-to-hand
conflict that I am likely to lose. If a fight comes, we must win it. That's why
we need guns."
With guns, proponents argue,
properly screened and trained pilots would be able to stop intruders before they
could take over the plane and turn it into a deadly missile.
But opponents contend that arming pilots raises far
more safety concerns than it allays. For instance, they argue that if a gun goes
off in the cockpit, it could destroy vital equipment, pierce the windshield, or
cause other types of damage that could disable the plane. The airlines are also
worried about liability if a passenger is accidentally shot in the crossfire.
Opponents believe that other security measures taken
since Sept. 11, including the presence of armed federal air marshals on some
flights, offer enough security so that guns aren't needed in the cockpit.
Still, recent reports on airport safety indicate
that a large percentage of guns and other lethal weapons continue to get through
the screening process. At three airports, fake guns and other weapons got past
security screeners almost half the time, according to the Transportation
Security Administration.
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