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<P>Source: Washington Times (or maybe it was the WA post--Published: 9/19/01
Author: Peter Hannaford</P></FONT><I><FONT color=#000000 face="Times New Roman"
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<P>As it was at most U.S. airports, last Saturday was the first near-normal day
at Denver International since the terrorist attacks. On United's Flight 564 the
door had just been locked and the plane was about to pull out of the gate when
the captain came on the public address system.</P>
<P>"I want to thank you brave folks for coming out today. We don't have any new
instructions from the federal government, so from now on we're on our
own." The passengers listened in total silence.</P>
<P>He explained that airport security measures had pretty much solved the
problem of firearms being carried aboard, but not weapons of the type the
terrorists apparently used, plastic knives or those fashioned from wood or
ceramics.</P>
<P>"Sometimes a potential hijacker will announce that he has a bomb. There are
no bombs on this aircraft and if someone were to get up and make that claim,
don't believe him. "If someone were to stand up, brandish something such as a
plastic knife and say 'This is a hijacking' or words to that effect here is what
you should do: Every one of you should stand up and immediately throw things at
that person -pillows, books, magazines, eyeglasses, shoes - anything that will
throw him off balance and distract his attention. If he has a confederate or
two, do the same with them. Most important: get a blanket over him, then wrestle
him to floor and keep him there. We'll land the plane at the nearest airport and
the authorities will take it from there."</P>
<P>"Remember, there will be one of him and maybe a few confederates, but there
are 200 of you. You can overwhelm them."</P>
<P>"The Declaration of Independence says 'We, the people' and that's just what
it is when we're up in the air: we, the people, vs. would-be terrorists. I don't
think we are going to have any such problem today or tomorrow or for a while,
but some time down the road, it is going to happen again and I want you to know
what to do."</P>
<P>"Now, since we're a family for the next few hours, I'll ask you to turn to
the person next to you, introduce yourself, tell them a little about yourself
and ask them to do the same."</P><I><FONT color=#000000 face="Times New Roman"
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<P>The end of this remarkable speech brought sustained clapping from the
passengers. He had put the matter in perspective. If only the passengers on
those ill-fated flights last Tuesday had been given the same talk, I thought,
they might be alive today. One group on United Flight 93, which crashed in a
Pennsylvania field, apparently rushed the hijackers in an attempt to wrest
control from them. While they perished, they succeeded in preventing the
terrorist from attacking his intended goal, possibly the White House or the
Capitol.</P>
<P>Procedures for dealing with hijackers were conceived in a time when the
hijackers were usually seeking the release of jailed comrades or a large amount
of money. Mass murder was not their goal. That short talk last Saturday by the
pilot of Flight 564 should set a new standard of realism.</P>
<P>Every passenger should learn the simple - but potentially life-saving -
procedure he outlined. He showed his passengers that a hijacking does not have
to result in hopelessness and terror, but victory over the perpetrators.</P>
<P>The Airline Pilots Association, the pilots' union, last week dropped its
opposition to stronger cockpit doors and is now calling for retrofits. (Its
opposition was based on pilot concerns about getting out easily in emergency
situations.) The scandal of easily penetrated airport security will result in
congressional calls for a federal takeover of the security system.</P>
<P>Previous efforts to reform security procedures and raise standards have been
talked to death. This time, however, no lobbying efforts must be allowed to
prevent airport security from getting the reforms that are needed: federal
operation, rigorous training, decent pay and no foreign nationals eligible for
employment.</P>
<P>Peter Hannaford is a public affairs consultant.</I></FONT><FONT color=#000000
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