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CNN Live Today

America Under Attack: FAA Heightens Check-In Policies

Aired September 12, 2001 - 13:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: We want turn now to Patty Davis, she's in Washington. She's got more about when airports might be open in the country.

And, of course, Patty, they were scheduled to get planes off the air more than an hour ago. Where do we stand?

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that was originally their target in terms of earliest possible time, 12, noon Eastern Time, when they might reopen the U.S. airspace. But that has slipped, the FAA saying that it doesn't have a hard time now at this point, but one FAA official saying -- we expect to hear from, the Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, about that sometime today, as well as security measures

Now, the FAA is requiring all airports to beef up security measures effective today. That is before they can resume operations and scheduled flights. Some of those include, in terms of knives, prior to today, passengers were allowed to carry pocket knifes up to 4 inches onboard airliners, U.S. airliners; that will no longer be allowed. And the FAA saying that no knives of any kind, metal or nonmetal, will be allowed on any flight. You cannot carry that at least onboard. You can put it in luggage that gets checked, but you can't carry it into the sterile environment of the cabin.

Now, they're also going to discontinue curbside check-in at airports. Also discontinuing off-airport check-in. Sometimes you can check in from different locations, a train, et cetera, somewhere, you don't actually have to go to the check-in counter. You will have to now.

Also use of federal air marshals. Now, those have been used for quite some years. Now, they are armed, they're trained to use lethal force and thwart hijacker, thwart incidents. They are used currently on some flights that are considered heightened alert, but the FAA saying that it will continue to use federal air marshals traveling on airlines.

Also, there will be more officers on duty at airports, and also you're going to see more checks on passengers as well.

Also, higher standards for screeners. Now, the FAA is trying to expedite, push through a rule that gives them the authority over screeners. Now, right now, they don't directly regulate when you go through passenger screening the people who are screening your bags, the airlines do that. And what they're trying to change is that they would have direct control over those screeners; all those companies -- those contractors that operate the companies would report to the FAA and have to meet heightened FAA standards.

Also, we've been told that a source close to the airline industry is telling the FAA -- calling the FAA -- calling on the FAA to nationalize or federalize those security checkpoints at airports, puts a federal officials -- federal law enforcement officials in place there. And the FAA would not comment on that -- Natalie.

ALLEN: So these sound like widespread security changes, Patty. Is it your understanding that airports are waiting to reopen until all of these measures can take place, and do you know if airports -- is there a desire to try to still get them reopened today?

DAVIS: Well, that is an FAA requirement. These restrictions must be in place before they can open.

Now, the FAA is also saying you can go above and beyond that if you want to at certain airports, but you cannot -- absolutely not reopen until you have all those restrictions in place.

Now National Airport was telling me earlier today -- National and Dulles we're saying earlier today that they don't plan to have any flights today at all, but they're reviewing that -- Natalie.

ALLEN: Patty Davis.

And, of course, thousands and thousands of people are in Canadian airports and in hotels in Canada waiting to get word that they can arrive back in the United States. People are stranded across the world trying to get back to the United States.

Is it your understanding that the U.S., the FAA, is waiting to see once all airports are -- meet these standards or wants in the individual airports start to meet these standards they can reopen? Do you have any information on that?

DAVIS: Can you repeat that question once again, Natalie?

ALLEN: Do you know if all airports are waiting to get word from the FAA to reopen at once, or once an airport meets these requirements it will be able to reopen, so it will be done on an individual basis?

ALLEN: That's a good question. And you know, absolutely, the ground stop will be lifted at a certain time, a one certain time, when the FAA designates that to be, and that would mean airports at the point could open if they had met the FAA standards.

Now, just once again, repeating what it is that the FAA's going to be requiring are: no knives will be allowed onboard any airliner at all in the cabin; they are discontinuing curbside check-ins; they are also discontinuing off airport check-ins; they're going to require -- they're going to have more officers on duty at airports, and you're going to see more physical checks of people at airports as well; higher standards for screeners, those passenger screeners, at -- when you go through with your carry-on luggage; and also federal air marshals, which are already being used, they are armed, they do fly on some flights already that are at heightened alert, but we are going to see those, the presence of those more now -- Natalie.

ALLEN: Patty Davis, we thank you.

It's a scene many Americans have been accustomed to, some of those restrictions that you talk about, but certainly it sounds like there will be even more that many have witnessed before. And many travelers, no doubt, will be thankful for that.

Patty Davis, we thank you. We'll be in touch because we still don't know when U.S. airports are going to reopen and flights will resume. We'll continue to keep watch on that element.

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