Mesa Legend - ARCHIVES - Vol. 39, Issue 6


Volume 39, Issue 6. Today is .

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Volume 39, Issue 6
November 13, 2001

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How friendly is holiday travel?
Legend's View

Is anybody traveling over the holidays this year?

A good portion of us are and probably by airlines.

In light of the attacks on Sept. 11, Congress is feverishly trying to upgrade airline security to ensure safety for travelers who "fly the friendly skies."

After reviewing the issues over the proposed airline security bills by both the Democratic and Republican parties, there seems to be an agreement on what needs to be done, but there is a discrepancy on how it will be done and who will be in charge.

One of the major conflicts for improving airline security is whether or not to expand the federal role in airline travel.

Essentially, this has turned into another political seesaw between the deep-rooted Republican and Democratic ideology conflict – how much control the government should have.

The GOP-backed bill for airline security wants the federal government to be a part of, but not in control of, airport/airline security. This bill, presented by the Republican Party, was just passed by the House on Nov. 2.

Why don’t they want the government to be in control of security? It seems to be because of funding.

But how much is too much, or too little, especially when we are talking about preventing disasters?

GOP officials behind the House bill state that they are following the practices of Western European airline security by allowing tight control over training and supervision but allowing the work force to remain private. However, they do not want another agency to control air security.

The GOP also wants the work force to remain private, which means that airlines can still bid for contracts for security personnel.

Let’s review the record of private security hired by airlines.

The average pay for security personnel has been around $6 an hour.

The turnover rate in 19 of our major airports for employees in this field is over 120 percent.

The FAA has already cited over 3,500 security violations against Delta, United, and American Airlines totaling over $13.3 million in 1997 and 1998 alone. That isn’t much of an overall loss to the airlines, considering how little they pay their security personnel.

These fines have done nothing to improve security breeches, as we have unfortunately found out in the past weeks.

Overall, what does this mean to airline travelers? A loss of personal liberties and conveniences when we fly? Shall there be no more rushing through the gate at the last minute? Waiting in longer lines before we board because of tighter security at checkpoints?

We, as a country, take flying for granted. We go where we want, when we want, and usually at a convenient price.

Now we may have to give up certain amenities when we fly, but safety is the primary goal here, right?

Can we trust the government for better security, or do we break it up into factions where responsibility is flung around like a tetherball between the government agencies and private businesses?

Whatever the government does, let’s just hope they do it right for once – and quickly.

It doesn’t matter which political party sets the standards, just as long as they make the right decisions for the American public.

Not for the government, not for the unions, not for the money, but for our lives, these lives that are now, more than ever, being threatened in our own country.