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Attack On America: Airports Still Closed Until Security Is Assured

Aired September 12, 2001 - 12:21   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Stories about so many things, of course, fears and shock, practical matter though. For many travelers it means they are stuck wherever they were yesterday morning. They can't get home. Originally FAA said earliest possible air restrictions on U.S. Airspace would be lifted noon today. We reported over an hour ago that won't happen. We have yet to hear what time that could be reinstated.

Meanwhile when flights resume in the U.S. They will look different than what we are used to as Americans. With more on that let's go to Kelly Wallace at that White House.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, big concern for many passengers around the country, but certainly a big concern for the administration. Senior administration officials telling my colleague John King a short time ago, the full expectation is that Transportation Secretary Norman Minetta would have some announcement later today.

The reason this 12 noon Eastern Time deadline has come and gone, we had senior administration officials telling CNN last night that the full expectation was airports would open at 12 noon Easter time. The senior officials are saying the deadline come and gone and reason airports have not reopened is they haven't had enough time to put sufficient security precautions in place. We heard Secretary Mineta say last night, they will impose tougher security measures at the nation's airports before they reopen.

I talked to another law enforcement source earlier who said the U.S. Government wants to be comfortable, certainly wants to open up the airports as quickly as possible, get people back to normal, get U.S. business up and running. But the U.S. Government also wants to be comfortable that proper security measures are place.

The source saying there is a whole menu of recommendations on the table, including toughening security on the ground, checking in, such as identification, maybe even no curb side checking at some a airports. And even more security measures in the air such as putting more air marshals on plane.

So a lot of discussions, full expectation some announcement coming from the secretary later today. As you can see the U.S. Government trying to balance competing priorities, trying to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, but definitely wanting tougher security measures in place. Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Clearly people flying across America back want it to be safe. One of the things that is difficult right now, before travelers and loved ones had that noon deadline to at least look forward to. Now not only did the administration take it off the table they haven't put another one on. Any word when that announcement might come?

WALLACE: No, as I told you my colleague John King hearing that Secretary Mineta expected to make some announcement today, some expectation that possibly airports could reopen today, according to one law enforcement source.

But again, while you said, Daryn, many people sort of hoping that airports would be up and running, I bet you a lot of the people around the country certainly want to make sure tougher security measures in place. Steps are being taken. There's a lot of concern as we've heard reported all throughout the day. I heard it yesterday when I was up in new York, a lot of people concerned about how could this happen, how could four airliners be hijacked?

So certainly I think American people would like to see tougher measures in place to try to in some way make sure this never happens again. Daryn backs to you.

KAGAN: Absolutely, no one wants to fly if it is not safe. And you look at the same time, four different planes, two airlines, three airports and it makes people feel very unsettled about how safe it is to fly here in the U.S. Kelly Wallace at the White House.

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