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American Morning

Pilots Urge Cockpit Guns

Aired April 05, 2002 - 08:08   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The nation's five largest pilots' unions are urging President Bush to allow guns in cockpits. Top Bush officials have so far opposed such a move, but it's only part of the ongoing debate over beefing up airport security in the wake of the terror attacks. Pilots are now joining flight attendants and other airport workers in this very heated debate and they say there are still many security problems left to solve.

Some examples from CNN's Patty Davis.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Beefed up security screening at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, new shoe X- ray machines, explosive detection equipment, gun toting National Guardsmen, all post-September 11 deterrents to terrorism. But Southwest pilots and the Association of Flight Attendants say the back door is still wide open at this and other airports across the country.

PAUL EMENS, SOUTHWEST PILOTS' UNION: This system that they're putting in place here is pretty much all flash and dash for the public and the airport operations area and other areas of the airport are still loose.

DAVIS: Ramp workers, baggage handlers, mechanics do what Emens is doing, flash a pass...

EMENS: How are you doing?

DAVIS: ... enter a code and walk right into the airport's baggage area, bypassing screening machines.

EMENS: I just walked through that door and right out on the ramp.

DAVIS: Also, no metal detectors here at this open gate to the runway. At Reagan National Airport, catering trucks drive onto the runway by showing I.D.

EMENS: The simple fact of the matter is that if it's a disaffected employee who's angry, he can bring a gun. If it's someone who's been bought off, a low paid employee who's been reached by the enemy, they can be bought off and become a carrier for terrorists. DAVIS (on camera): The Transportation Department says airport ground crews undergo rigorous background as well as criminal and employment history checks and fingerprinting. They're also subject to search at any time.

(voice-over): High level government meetings are under way to tighten the system. Fixes include a national I.D. badge that may use foolproof eye scanning technology.

REP. JAMES OBERSTAR (D), TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: Installing the new means developing biometric screening devices for the cleaning crew, the food service crew, the fuel crew, those who are coming in to do maintenance on the aircraft, anyone who has access to the air side of the airport.

DAVIS: The goal, to make sure the front and the back doors of the nation's airports stay firmly shut to terrorists.

Patty Davis, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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