'We Still Lack Mandatory Anti-Terrorist Training Two Years After September 11th'

Two years since a handful of fanatics hijacked four jetliners and forever changed the airline industry Capitol Hill has yet to enforce federally required anti-terrorist security training for the thousands of women and men who comprise the ranks of U.S. flight attendants.

"Until all U.S. flight attendants are required to attend mandatory anti-terrorist security training, we're leaving gaping holes for terrorists to exploit," said Guy D. Meek, Northwest Airlines Flight Attendant and President of the Professional Flight Attendants Association. "Our lives, and the lives of our passengers remain in danger, and that's unacceptable." With the recent government warning that Al-Qaeda is again targeting airliners, leaders of unions representing more than 85 percent of all U.S. flight attendants again are calling for mandatory anti-terrorist training.

Although Congress has already passed two bills providing for flight attendant anti-terrorist training - the Air Transportation Security Act, and the Homeland Security Act - airline executives continue to exploit loopholes to dodge mandatory training.

Unlike many of our counterparts in the industry, Northwest flight attendants have been fortunate to partake in a voluntary anti-terrorist training program, following a grass-roots campaign by the company's attendants in early 2002, said PFAA Vice President Jose Arturo Ibarra. "While that was a great first step for Northwest attendants, and the industry, we still need a federally mandated program for all attendants," Ibarra added.

Recently, Continental Airlines (CAL) lobbyists were able to water down the conference report of the FAA Reauthorization Bill, removing any requirement for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to require mandatory flight attendant security training guidelines. "Apparently, Continental - an alliance partner of Northwest Airlines - isn't as concerned about the safety of their frontline," said Gary Helton, PFAA Secretary Treasurer. "If our elected representatives allow this FAA Reauthorization bill to pass as is, we're all at risk."

FMI: www.pfaa.com