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American Morning
Airline Industry Representatives Comment About New Security Measures
Aired November 28, 2001 - 09:09 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: So let's talk now about how people on the front lines feel about the delay and tighter airport security measures.
Joining us now from Washington are Captain John Safley, an American Airlines pilot and Patricia Friend, President of the Association of Flight Attendants.
Welcome to you both. Delighted to have you both...
PATRICIA FRIEND, PRESIDENT, ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS: Thank you.
ZAHN: ... with us this morning.
CAPTAIN JOHN SAFLEY, AMERICAN AIRLINES: Thank you.
ZAHN: Captain Safley, do you think the deadline set by Mr. Mineta was unrealistic?
SAFLEY: It's very hard to tell whether it was unrealistic or not. What we're concerned about primarily is that he was given a deadline and he's already backing away from that deadline. The other thing that concerns us is that we don't have a new deadline set out there, something that the -- that we can look forward to and work toward.
ZAHN: Would you be satisfied by this proposal that Representative Gephardt is trying to sell right now, the idea of getting the National Guard in there to do bag-by-bag searches in the meantime?
SAFLEY: I think that's a very realistic way to go about it. We have many different technologies in terms of dogs, screeners, bringing the National Guard in and we should use those as best we can as we start to develop this system. But the key is we need to be working that direction now and not stepping away from deadlines.
ZAHN: Patricia, how concerned are the flight attendants you represent about this situation?
FRIEND: Well, we've been very concerned about the security of checked baggage since the very beginning. We were delighted to see the legislation and really were quite distressed to hear our own Secretary of Transportation a week into -- after the legislation was signed throwing up his hands and saying that it can't be done.
ZAHN: Well his rationale is that there are neither enough sniffing dogs or people to fulfill the ax (ph) 60 day deadline.
FRIEND: Well there's one piece that he hasn't mentioned that was also -- is also approved as part of the network for insuring the security of checked baggage and that is the issue of 100 percent positive passenger bag match. I've seen no signs that in fact the airlines have been ordered to implement matching passengers to bags domestically, even though they already do so internationally, and there is no reason why they can't begin at least that process tomorrow.
ZAHN: Captain Safley, do you agree?
SAFLEY: Yes, I do. Yes, I do. I think that we need to work that direction. Again, that provides a level of confidence and safety that's going to help bring the people back to the airline industry.
ZAHN: In the meantime, what kind of advice, Captain, do you have for the many hundreds of thousands of folks who are thinking to taking the planes over the holidays?
SAFLEY: I think that they need to understand that they are experiencing inconveniences right now and they will continue to as we bring these security procedures on board. At the same time, I think they understand the full need for all of those procedures.
ZAHN: And, Patricia, you described the frustration of the flight attendants you represent, any advice for the flying public out there...
FRIEND: We would ask...
ZAHN: ... as we sort of wait to see whether the National Guard will be put in place in this interim period and wait to see if a new deadline will be imposed?
FRIEND: And we would ask for their assistance since we share the aircraft cabin with the traveling public. We would ask them to stand up, speak out and demand from those people who are responsible for all of our safety and security on board that aircraft to meet this deadline, to do everything possible to meet this deadline and to give us all some reassurances that in fact they are working as quickly as possible to ensure the best security possible in our aviation system.
ZAHN: Well we appreciate both of your thoughts as this issue continues to be heavily debated.
Patricia Friend, Captain Safley. Captain, were you also on the Legislative Affairs Committee and
SAFLEY: I am.
ZAHN: ... Allied Pilots Association? I wanted to get that in. We didn't say that in the lead in. I know that's an important...
(CROSSTALK)
SAFLEY: Well thank you very much.
ZAHN: ... what you do.
OK, thank you both. Happy traveling.
SAFLEY: Thank you.
FRIEND: Thank you (ph).
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