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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Airline Industry Suffering

Aired September 21, 2001 - 08:46   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: Time to talk now about the ripple effect of last week's attacks. Nowhere is the economic impact of the attacks being felt harder than in the airline industry. Even as it suffers financial loss, the sector is being forced to undergo major security changes.

For more on that, we go live to CNN travel correspondent Gail O'Neill, who joins us from Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta.

Gail, is anybody flying out of there this morning or into there?

GAIL O'NIELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's kind of patchy. If you are flying out of a hub city, Delta for example in Atlanta, it's going to be very, very crowded, expect delays. If, however, you're flying out of an airliner that is not based in the city you're flying out of, it is quiet, desolate, which is what we are seeing here on the north terminal, away from the Delta airlines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

O'NIELL (voice-over): As travelers prepare to take flight, most find themselves waiting in one way or another; some because they were too early, and others because new security measures are slowing things down, as officials confiscate items now considered dangerous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard to get on the plane, and I can only imagine how those people in New York felt, but you've got to get back to some kind of normal life.

O'NIELL: And airport operators are working to rebuild consumer confidence.

BENJAMIN DECOSTA, GEN. MGR., HARTSFIELD AIRPORT: Right now the number one objective is to make sure that the people are safe and secure, and also that they feel safe and secure, both in the reality and the perception.

O'NIELL: To that end, all travelers should arrive at the airport at least two hours in advance, bring photo ID, minimize or eliminate the use of carry-on bags, and be patient.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think people are just in general willing to accept the fact that we may have to go through a couple of extra steps for safety. And by and large, my feeling is we're comfortable with that.

O'NIELL: And comfort is something everyone at the airport seems anxious to feel again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'NIELL: I'm not getting any audio, but, Paula, if you can hear me, that mood that we just heard expressed, one of cooperation, one of being patient, is what we're seeing at airports throughout the country.

ZAHN: All right, Gail, I know that's very difficult with that plane taking off overhead. We did hear you, but you couldn't have heard us.

Just a quick note to button off that report, we talked about Atlanta and its importance for air travel, it happens to be the hub and the headquarters for Delta Airlines. Delta Airlines now confirming that it plans to announce some job cuts next week. The Delta president, Frederick Reed, says the carrier is faced with absolutely no alternative to cutting employees.

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