Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Transportation Head: No Cockpit Guns

Aired May 21, 2002 - 11:13   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, one other item that's been of big debate since 9/11 is, should pilots have guns in the cockpits? Well, the answer to that question came today.

And CNN's Patty Davis has that answer for us. She joins us from Washington right now -- hello, Patty, what's the word?

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, the head of the Transportation Security Administration has said no to guns in the cockpit. Word of that decision came in a Senate Commerce Committee hearing this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN MAGAW, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: Utilizing the experience of my 40 years in law enforcement and consulting with all of the interested parties and having our staff with a lot of experience look at this issue and obviously consulting all along the way with the Secretary Mineta, I will not authorize firearms in the cockpit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIS: Now, Leon, that decision is a blow for pilots who had been pushing for the right to carry firearms on planes. They say they're the last line of defense in a hijacking. But Bush administration officials had said they were worried about passengers getting hurt and those weapons falling into the wrong hands. In fact, they said they were going to concentrate more on screening passengers, on fortifying cockpit doors, screening bags.

So now official "no" from the federal government. The airline pilot's association reaction: it will continue to pursue guns in the cockpit with members of Congress. And there's a bill in the house that would allow those pilots to carry firearms. One is also formulated in the Senate.

Still, no decision, though, on non-lethal weapons. That's TASERs, stun guns for pilots. Now you'll recall that United Airlines is already training its pilots to use TASERs to defend themselves in the air -- Leon.

HARRIS: Well, Patty, are the pilots against the non-lethal forms in case they do not get their way on the guns here or what? DAVIS: Well, that's a Good question. They have said that as an interim step, they believe that the stun guns, the TASERs are fine. But they are still going to continue to press for guns in the cockpit, because they say that's the only way to go -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right. Good deal. Patty Davis, thank you very much. Patty reporting for us from Washington.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com