Return to Transcripts main page

CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

Some International Flights Must Carry Armed Guards

Aired December 30, 2003 - 06:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. says international air carriers may lose their landing rights if they don't put armed air marshals on select flights. British officials say they'll start placing armed officers on some fights to the United States.
The plan was announced last year, but not implemented until now. Some nations already place air marshals on flights traveling to, from or over the United States, but the marshal mandate gives the U.S. more authority when dealing with international passenger or cargo carriers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: It's an international challenge that we all have. And, again, information generated from one source or another, shared with one country or another, to effect and improve aviation security is something that I believe the world community has adjusted to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: But we do want to get more reaction from overseas to the U.S. government order requiring law enforcement officers on some flights.

Our Robyn Curnow joins us live from London to talk more about this.

How have the British pilots reacted to this news?

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the British pilots are saying that they won't fly until they get more answers from the British government about exactly how these air marshals will be deployed, who these air marshals will be, and how they've been trained. And also the big question: When they will be deployed on flights emanating here from the United Kingdom?

Today, the airline pilots are in talks with the Transport Department to try and iron out these questions. But essentially, the pilots are saying, no, no, no, we don't want these armed police on our planes until we know exactly what kind of implications it's going to have for the airline pilots themselves and the rest of the crew.

COSTELLO: What about the rest of Europe, Robyn?

CURNOW: Well, we do know that airlines, such as Air France and Germany's Lufthansa, have been using air marshals on their planes to America on some flights, ever since the September the 11th attacks. So, that essentially has not changed. They say they might increase some of those security members on those flights.

And, essentially though, across Europe and across the world, there is a lot of talk at the moment about the implications of this U.S. directive, and just how the airlines, the airline pilots and the individual governments are going to work out just how they're going to implement this.

COSTELLO: Robyn Curnow reporting live from London for us.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.