U.S. Approves Limited Air Service, Bans Knives
By John Crawley
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government cleared airlines for limited service on Wednesday and imposed tougher security requirements for airports and airlines, including bans on knives and curbside check-ins.
The nation's airspace was shut down on Tuesday after knife-wielding hijackers seized four commercial airliners, two of which slammed into and destroyed New York's World Trade Center towers. A third hit the Pentagon, and a fourth plane crashed in western Pennsylvania.
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said that commercial and cargo aircraft diverted from their normal flight paths to other airports during the emergency could proceed to their final destinations as soon as airlines and airports met tougher security standards.
Only original passengers on those flights will be allowed to board, under extremely tight security. The government will also allow airlines to move empty planes to position them to resume scheduled service.
But Mineta said he could not authorize the resumption of full service because of security concerns.
Mineta said a determination was made at the White House to put off operations until "we are sufficiently secure in our own information'' about when to resume them. "I can't give you a date or a time,'' he added.
FEAR OF FURTHER HIJACKINGS
A U.S. official, who requested anonymity, said authorities wanted to be sure that "everything is done to tighten up airport security'' in case there are associates of the suspected hijackers "who might want to perpetrate similar atrocities.''
"I know all Americans want us to move as quickly and prudently as possible to return our transportation system to normal, and we will as soon as we can do so safely,'' Mineta said.
While Mineta did not give a timetable for full service, at least two U.S. lawmakers said they were told in a meeting with him that the Transportation Department hoped to lift the flight ban early on Thursday morning.
The government issued new permanent security guidelines on Wednesday for airports and airlines. According to FAA and lawmakers, they include:
-- Armed plainclothes guards, also known as federal air marshals, to be placed on domestic flights.
-- No curbside or off-airport check-ins. All passengers must go to ticket counters to check in.
-- Boarding areas restricted to passengers. Only those with tickets and photo identification will be allowed to proceed past airport security barriers.
MEAL SERVICE AFFECTED
-- No knives of any material allowed to be carried on board. Federal rules previously allowed up to a four-inch blades. Metal knives for food service also will be banned.
-- Vehicles near airport terminals to be monitored more closely.
-- A thorough search and security check of all planes before passengers are allowed to board aircraft.
There are roughly 40,000 departures of aircraft a day in scheduled air service in the United States, and at any time on a typical weekday morning, more than 4,000 planes are in the air, according to the FAA.
It was unclear how many flights would take advantage of the limited service authorization. It also was unclear if the order on limited service affected international flights diverted to Canada.
U.S. Rep. John Mica, a Florida Republican and chairman of the House of Representatives subcommittee on aviation, said his committee was likely to hold hearings soon on airport screening and security. FAA officials will be called to testify.
Mica said he stressed to Mineta that it was necessary to place security personnel on domestic flights immediately, that it was "absolutely essential'' that the public understand "we have taken some steps to at least give passengers and crew a fighting chance.''
"We need to get back to normal and have the traveling public feel confident,'' Mica said.