White House Rethinks Opposition to Armed Pilots

NEWSMAX ^ | 7/23/02 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

The Bush administration is reconsidering its opposition to letting airline pilots carry guns, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta told the House Transportation aviation subcommittee today.

Afterward, spokesman Chet Lunner said Mineta was not responding to congressional pressure to arm pilots, but simply asking the new head of the Transportation Security Administration, retired Coast Guard Adm. James Loy, to review an old policy.

"The secretary expects Admiral Loy, with a new set of eyes, to take a look at everything we're doing," Lunner said.

The Associated Press reported: "Loy's predecessor, John Magaw, announced in May that he would not arm pilots, though he continued to study whether to allow flight crews to carry stun guns. Mineta said Loy will look into arming pilots with guns or non-lethal weapons."

Pilots unions, supported by gun rights groups, want Congress to overrule the TSA. The House earlier this month voted 310-113 to let commercial pilots carry guns.

"We're very happy to hear that Secretary Mineta and Admiral Loy will be taking a fresh view with an open mind on this subject," said John Mazor, a spokesman for Air Line Pilots Association.

A Senate sponsor of legislation to let pilots be armed, Montana Republican Conrad Burns, also praised the announcement.

"Right now, the only armed pilots in America are flying F-16s," Burns said. "Secretary Mineta's comments signal his agency's recognition that American missiles shooting down American planes cannot be our government's answer to hijackings."

[terilyn]

"So just PERMIT them to have armed pilots, and make them liable for a failure to do so, should such failure be found to be negligence."

I'll go ya one better.

Just PERMIT them to have armed pilots, let each airline decide if they want to allow it or not, announce it and then let the flying public decide which airlines THEY want to fly on.

Takes the liability off the government, (translated to the taxpayers), and onto the airlines. They either sink or swim...er...fly, based on their decision.

[kaktuskid]

Somebody wants to go back to a 1900 economy!!

[Shooter 2.5]

I was already in a discussion about the armed pilots to a person when we discussed the problem of the airlines. The problem isn't the government. It's the airlines.
When I mentioned that we should e mail every airline to ask them to fight for armed pilots, he said, don't bother. He had already contacted every airline and they gave the same response.
They don't want their pilots to be armed. It's a liability question. If you don't believe it, contact the airlines yourself. By the way, Southwest doesn't answer e mail.

[Wonder Warthog]

"..wouldn't a problem be bad guys aiming to get the gun?"

Firstly, this would work like "concealed carry"--not mandated possession--thus the potential perps would never be SURE that there was a firearm in the cockpit or not.

Second, why would this be more of a problem than it is for cops. Sure, there is a possibility that "bad guys" might try to "get the gun", but the probability of their success is VERY LOW.

I'd rather have them armed than not.

[Zon]

They don't want their pilots to be armed. It's a liability question. If you don't believe it, contact the airlines yourself. By the way, Southwest doesn't answer e mail.

Their insurance carriers (if they're not self-insured) need to rethink their policies. Allowing a plane to become a missile because the last line of defense was refused is not a free pass for government to bail out the airlines to the tune of billions of dollars because of the airlines and insurance companies incompetence to ensure the safety of the passengers -- not to mention a skyscraper filled with thousands of people.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

There is only one reason that this is even controversial today; and that is because of the hysterical effort of the Left to disarm Americans

That's very true.

[Shooter 2.5]

That's only one of the things that the airlines have to worry about. What happens if a passenger decides to attack a flight attendent? Does the pilot intervene? What happens if another passenger is shot? Are the airlines responsible for another passenger getting "traumatized" by the mear sight of a gun? Where are the guns going to be stored? Are the pilots going to transport the guns as their own personal property? Are the airlines responsible from any action away from the airport?
No one yet has an answer to any of this but all of this should have been discussed and the answers set in stone on 9/12. One more thing, the head of the FAA's term is up in August. That's what I heard.

[packrat01]

Somebody wants to go back to a 1900 economy!!

Seems as though the stock market is headed there...

[Zon]

No one yet has an answer to any of this but all of this should have been discussed and the answers set in stone on 9/12.

All of that each airline should have had it written in their policies -- not in archaic stone -- since hijackings first became a problem. That means the policies should have been in place since the late 1960s. The government, being the most inept organization is the last one that should be setting policy.

[Shooter 2.5]

I sent a e mail to American Airlines and it said, does your airline support arming the pilots. Yes or No.
Here is the reply:
Dear Mr. xxxxx:


We completely understand your concern about security and appreciate your questions
about our pilots carrying firearms. Please know that we are taking very deliberate
security measures to ensure the safety of our passengers and employees.
Secretary Mineta's Department of Transportation (DOT) task force is carefully
considering the possibility of cockpit crewmembers carrying firearms. This DOT task
force has raised numerous important questions about the merits of firearms for cockpit
crewmembers and how it would be administered, if it were allowed. We are anxiously
waiting to see what the DOT ultimately recommends concerning this matter.

At the same time, we want our customers to be informed about the changes in the travel
experience related to heightened security. To view information about American
Airlines' focus on security and what you should expect when traveling, please refer to
www.aa.com.

Air travel has changed for all of us. We hope to have your patience and understanding
as we work to make your future trips with us as convenient as possible. Your safety
is our number one priority.

This is a "post-only" e-mail response. Please don't hit 'reply'; such messages won't
be immediately directed back to me. If you'd like to contact us again, please do so
via http://www.aa.com/customerrelations/, and we'll be back with you as soon as
possible.

Sincerely,

Mary J. Fausneaucht
Customer Relations
American Airlines



Ok, Your turn.