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CNN Live At Daybreak

America Recovers: Reagan National Expected to Reopen

Aired October 02, 2001 - 08:06   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Just as John King told us, the president is poised to announce the reopening of National Airport. That's going to happen in a little less than two hours from now. We, of course, will be bringing that to you as soon as it becomes available to us.

Inside the currently vacant or nearly vacant National Airport, we find CNN's Kathleen Koch this morning with some details on exactly what might be in that plan.

Good morning, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

Well, as you can see behind me, workers are already beginning to ready this airport to receive this morning first the president and perhaps by the end of the week some passengers. Of course this airport has been shut down since September 11 and the local lawmakers, state lawmakers have been lobbying tirelessly for its reopening because it has truly had a devastating impact on the local economy. Some 42,000 people a day generally use this airport and about 10,000 people work here. And on a yearly basis, it generates in business revenue for the D.C.-Virginia area more than $5 billion. So lawmakers in the region took their case again to the president yesterday for its reopening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. GEORGE ALLEN, (R), VIRGINIA: There's clearly a desire on the part of the administration to reopen Reagan National Airport. The Question is is when, with what security measures put in place, how soon can they be implemented and obviously as well as the cost.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now the costs that are still up in the air but certainly when this airport reopens there will be very tough new security measures in place. What we are hearing is that, first of all, there would be federal air marshals armed and onboard each and every flight into and out of this airport. Secondly, all passengers would be screened, not just once, but twice, before boarding any planes into or out of Reagan National Airport. The approach routes to the airport would no longer be just down the river but they would be varied so that fewer aircraft would come close to Washington, D.C. And then finally, cockpit doors would at least temporarily be strengthened in some way, perhaps with deadbolts.

Now, Miles, none of this addresses the open question of general aviation. In other words, private aircraft. No one yet knows if they will be able to resume flying out of this airport -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Kathleen, how much general aviation goes in and out of National Airport right now? You may not have the exact number, but I assume it's not a big number right now.

KOCH: Miles, it actually varies considerably. Generally, nearly a third of the aircraft that take off and land here are general aviation. That percentage, of course, goes up at times like the inauguration when we have a lot of CEOs from all around the country coming in for special events like that. But it is a chunk of the revenue to this airport and right now all of that has ceased. Also even at Dulles International Airport because of this 25-mile zone around National Airport where general aviation can't fly.

Part of the issue, Miles, was not only are none of those planes checked for security before anyone boards them, but also they are the frequent violators of that prohibited airspace over Washington, D.C. They're hard to keep reined in so they may not be able to fly out of here again -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Kathleen Koch at Reagan National Airport, which appears to be reawakening this morning.

KOCH: It is.

O'BRIEN: Thanks very much.

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