[ OUR OPINION ]
Bill to arm airline pilots
should be defeatedIt's a close call but a bill working its way through the Congress that would permit airline pilots to arm themselves with pistols while flying ought to be defeated. As a symbol of resolve to deter hijackers, the idea has merit. But the dangers to passengers are more serious.
THE ISSUE Congress is considering a bill that would permit airline pilots to be armed during flights.
The bill, which was passed by the House 310 to 113 last week in a vote that cut across party lines, has been sent to the Senate. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Patsy Mink voted against the legislation. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka should do the same.
Debate over this issue has been running strong since the terrorist assaults of Sept. 11 last year. Arguing for it have been the airline pilots' union, the gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association, and some travel associations.
Standing against it have been the Bush administration and Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, the flight attendants' union, and the airline industry, a spokesman for which asserted that arming pilots could have "unintended consequences."
Opponents point to security-conscious El Al airline of Israel, which does not arm its pilots -- and hasn't suffered a hijacking in 34 years. Instead, the airline's pre-boarding check of people and luggage is perhaps the most rigorous in the world, cockpit doors are bulletproof, and flight attendants receive anti-hijack training.
Of particular importance in Congress is the opposition of Sen. Ernest Hollings, Democrat of South Carolina, who is chairman of the Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over the bill. He has indicated that he will bottle it up in committee to prevent it from reaching a vote on the floor.
Although the United States should look to other measures to increase airline security, this proposal has certain good points. It is voluntary; no pilot will be required to carry a gun. Every pilot who volunteers must receive training. If the bill is to be passed, it should give the aircraft commander, who is ultimately responsible for the safety of his flight, the final word on whether anyone in the crew should be permitted to arm himself.
Should the bill become law, the potential danger to passengers, individually and collectively, could be severe if shooting erupts while they are cooped up in that aluminum tube called an airplane. Better to have the pilot concentrate on flying and safely landing an airplane in jeopardy than to play gunslinger at the OK Corral.
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