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CNN Live Today

AAA: Americans Getting Back to Flying

Aired August 29, 2002 - 12:19   ET

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


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Are all these post-9/11 security precautions working? Most Americans seem to think so.
CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us from Washington with more on that.

Hi -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

You know most Americans are beginning to get back to their old travel habits, beginning to fly again. Air travel is still off about 10 percent from what it was last year. But one of nation's largest travelers organization is taking a look at just how confident those people are who are up in skies about how the security is working.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOCH (voice-over): They have bottlenecked air travel, led to long lines, even emptied terminals. But a new survey by AAA finds that Americans believe the new aviation security measures are working. Seventy-five percent said they were either extremely confident, very confident or somewhat confident, flying is safe, versus 33 percent a month after 9/11.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's $374, plus your tax. It's $484.

KOCH: The survey of 1,022 adults who had flown in recent months also asked whether they would be willing to pay more than the $10 fee per ticket they are already charged to fund additional security.

MANTILL WILLIAMS, AAA: We were also surprised that 9 of 10 people said that, yes, they would be willing to pay more. And almost 50 percent said they would be willing to pay over $10 more for extra security measures.

KOCH: Passengers also wanted more security in the cockpit. Fifty-one percent said giving pilots guns would give them as passengers more confidence. Fourteen percent said it would give them less. Thirty-two percent said it would have no impact.

CAPT. DUANE WOERTH, AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION: They also know that the worst-case scenario is if the pilots are attacked and are still undefensible, that's -- the game's over, and we will have the same result as last September. The public does not want that to happen.

KOCH: Those surveyed overwhelmingly rejected any delay in installing explosive detection machines to screen checked bags. Airports two weeks ago told Congress the end-of-the-year deadline could not be met. But 81 percent of the passengers said the machines should be installed as scheduled, even if it means flight delays.

KEVIN COX, DALLAS-FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: If the people that answered that survey knew that they might be standing in lines for three or four hours long, that they may think twice about whether or not a deadline that was arbitrarily set is worthy of trying to meet just for that deadline's sake.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOCH: What happens next with guns in the cockpit, with these bomb-detecting machines in airports and any higher fees to cover the cost is really up to Congress. But Kyra, it seems that air travelers are sending the message that they want more security and they are willing to pay for it.

Back to you.

PHILLIPS: So Kathleen, you know this fee that we had to start paying after 9/11, the added money to tickets. Where is that money going?

KOCH: It is a $10 per round trip ticket fee, and that is going to pay for all these added security measures that you are seeing right now. But even these people who were quizzed in this AAA survey realize that this is very expensive, these new bomb detecting machines that they are trying to put in all the airports by the end of the year are very expensive. And at this point, the Transportation Security Administration does not have the money to pay for them. So it's looking there is going to have to be more money coming from somewhere because what they are collecting now, $10 a ticket, will not cover it.

PHILLIPS: Will we have to pay more, do you think?

KOCH: That is what expectation, though at this point, Congress is very resistant at going back to the public and saying here is another fee, here is another tax that we're slapping on you the traveler. But the Transportation Security Administration says if you want these machines in the airport, the money has to come from somewhere, and the traveling public is generally where they go.

PHILLIPS: Kathleen Koch, thank you.

KOCH: You bet.

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