The text of today's story is in the "Washinngton Post" at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37830-2001Nov15.html

Supporting my previous position on the airline security issue is the following from the WP story.

"The bill also would require that all baggage screeners be U.S. citizens, proficient in English and without a criminal record. Kenneth P. Quinn, counsel to a consortium of the largest screening companies, warned that this provision would render 25 percent of the current force ineligible to continue working at the airports."

quote:

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Originally posted by Cambodge:
"The bill also would require that all baggage screeners be U.S. citizens, proficient in English and without a criminal record. Kenneth P. Quinn, counsel to a consortium of the largest screening companies, warned that this provision would render 25 percent of the current force ineligible to continue working at the airports."

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That is exactly the point I made in an earlier posting.

Reason: Companies paying lowest wages can bid the screening contracts to the airlines at the lowest prices!

And they have done just that.

And today there were several more security breaches, the latest of which caused Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport to be completely evacuated. 10,000 passengers were cleared from the terminal and made to stand around in the parking lots for about three hours. Only now are they re-entering, and each one of the estimated 10,000 people plus airline services people will be RE-SCREENED.

Estimated delays more than 4-hours per passenger!! Normal operation of airport is expected to be sometime tomorrow morning.

So, although the bill has been passed, it is obviously "deja vu all over again!"

I shall still wait until they get organized.

We can only do so much in terms of legislation and security checks on staff!

Although one can accept your "accidents will happen" theory, and indeed, all life is a risk, I maintain that there is a serious and ever-increasing threat in the US air-travel system which is not being addressed now.

And it has not been addressed in the past.

This is recognized by thousands, who, on Thanksgiving Day weekend, the busiest travel days of the year are chosing to stay home; travel by their cars; or take the train. I am not the voice of Cassandra crying in the wilderness here.

In spport of my postion, I am posting here, a link to an article from today's Washington Post which reveals in detail the sorry history of resistance to enhanced security at US airports and on US airlines by the US Airline industry.

This attitude goes back to well before Lockerbie. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47203-2001Nov17.html

It is far too long to post here.

It reveals in detail, the intense pressure and monumental funding that the US Airlines have applied to force the Federal Aviation Administration to lessen requirements for security - and yes- criminal background checks for employees!

When the Airline Lobby hires the former director of the CIA and FBI to be their paid mouthpiece, bureaucrats at the FAA and Department of Transportation listen (and cave in)! Examples and the sorry history of the effort are revealing.

And, to the relief of most,I am sure, this will be my last posting on this subject.

---until.

The topic is only germane to the Cruise Page that most cruisers are must play the game of "risk-roulette" sponsored by the airborne casinos of the Airline Industry to take their cruises.

Last posting, therefore, until the next time. And it will happen.

We are flying Air Canada on Thursday to Florida and flying AA from Costa Rica to Miami and then Miami to Toronto. I would not dream of making light of your concerns--they are quite valid. I was even guilty of being quite smug upon learning we were travelling Air Canada but somewhat uneasy travelling AA return. (no one airline is perfect!)

With some mentalities, we would still be back to the days when a motor car was preceded by a man with a red flag.

You have missed my point!

I'm all for improved Airline security. However, terriorists are unlikely to go away, even if you bomb them, lock them up, legistate against them, or tighten security.

The only course of action that we can take as individuals is to live with this fact!