Mineta Opposes Guns in Airplane Cockpits

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Mineta Opposes Guns in Airplane CockpitsBy Jonathan D. Salant Associated Press Writer Published: Mar 4, 2002 WASHINGTON (AP) - Pilots shouldn't be allowed to carry guns, Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said Monday. Mineta, who has generally been cool to the idea, made his comments as the Air Line Pilots Association formally asked the Transportation Department to allow pilots to have firearms in the cockpit. "I don't feel we should have lethal weapons in the cockpit," Mineta said. He didn't rule out allowing non-lethal weapons, such as stun guns. That decision is up to the new undersecretary for transportation security, John Magaw, who gave no indication Monday when he would rule. Besides Mineta, the nation's homeland security director, Tom Ridge, said he opposed arming pilots. "I don't think we want to equip our pilots with firearms," Ridge told USA Today "That doesn't make a lot of sense to me." Ridge's opposition to arming pilots was confirmed by his office Monday. Until Mineta's statement, Transportation Department officials had not rejected guns in the cockpit, but weren't enthusiastic about the idea. In October, for example, Federal Aviation Administrator Jane Garvey said there were many better options than arming pilots, such as air marshals. Many pilots disagree. They say pilots need guns to stop hijackers from breaking into the cockpit and commandeering an airplane, as was done on Sept. 11. "A large majority of airline pilots and the American public view firearms in the cockpit as a necessary deterrent to terrorism," pilots' union president Duane Woerth said Monday. "As long as cockpit doors have to be opened for pilots to gain access to meal service and lavatories, there is a risk that a terrorist can slip through security and get into the cockpit. We need to give pilots a viable weapon to deal with this very real threat." The union's proposal would allow pilots to carry guns after receiving training similar to federal law enforcement officers. The pilots also would have to undergo background checks. The program would be voluntary. The Transportation Department has received more than 7,400 public comments on arming pilots. Mineta noted that cockpit doors have been strengthened since Sept. 11 so hijackers cannot break through. "To me, cockpit security is very important," Mineta said. "The cockpit has to be secured." Two airlines have moved ahead on non-lethal weapons, though their pilots cannot use them without Transportation Department approval. Both United Airlines and Mesa Air Group, which operates America West Express and US Airways Express, said they would allow their pilots to have stun guns. United announced last week that it would train its pilots to use stun guns. Flight attendants would be given self-defense training would not taught how to use the weapons, the airline said. The Federal Aviation Administration in January said airlines should train their flight crews to fight hijackers rather than cooperate with them, but the guidelines were silent on whether guns or non-lethal weapons should be allowed on airplanes. ---- http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAB499WEYC.html