02Jan04-Air travellers face chaos in US crackdown
By Eric Lichtblau in Washington
January 2, 2004
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An aggressive new approach to security is threatening chaos in international flights to the US - with planes being refused permission to land or diverted for rescreening of passengers and cargo.
The US, which is on the second-highest security alert status after warnings of planned terrorist attacks, has already shown its determination to enforce new airline security rules.
These include ordering a Mexi-can passenger jet to turn around mid-flight and imposing landing restrictions on at least six other incoming flights in the past week.
The airline security crackdown was part of an unprecedented security operation in which sharpshooters, warplanes and thousands of police were mobilised to thwart any attack on celebrations from New York to Las Vegas.
Officials were so worried about possible attacks on at least five foreign flights that landed in the US - including in Washington and Los Angeles - that they took the aircraft to remote locations away from the main terminals and re-screened the passengers before allowing them to leave.
In addition, F-16 fighters have shadowed some flights of Air France and other airlines arriving at US cities, including Los Angeles, a Bush Administration official said. The Australian Government and Qantas say there have been no reported incidents of flights from Australia being among those followed.
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The US has been on "high risk" terrorist alert since December 21 and the security moves, along with the cancellation of several Christmas Eve flights by Air France to US airports, reflect an aggressive new approach by the Administration because of hijacking concerns.
In the case of a flight this week from Mexico, a Transportation Security Administration inspector based there told officials in the US that passengers boarding a flight for the US had not been properly screened, Government officials said.
One official said US transportation officials then told the airline: "You said there were procedures in place for that flight that weren't there. Turn it around."
The airline then agreed to return the aircraft to Mexico and re-screen the passengers, and the US authorities allowed the flight to complete its scheduled route once they were assured the security concerns had been addressed, the official said.
Officials refused to disclose the city of origin or the itinerary for the flight, citing diplomatic and national security concerns.
In Washington, a British Airways Boeing 747, carrying 247 passengers and 17 crew, was detained on arrival at Dulles airport late on Wednesday and held on the tarmac for further screening. Local reports said those on board were ferried to the terminal building about three hours later.
"There are a number of passengers on that British Airways flight that law enforcement officials wanted to speak with," an FBI spokeswoman said.
Passengers were given no reason for the re-screening.
Earlier this week, the US put foreign airlines on notice that they would be denied entry to US airspace if they refused to put armed air marshals on any incoming flights of concern.
Officials said the use of marshals was one of several steps being taken to meet rising concerns about overseas flights. Negotiations are under way between Australia and the US to have marshals on board US- and Canada-bound Qantas flights within a month.
In addition, US officials said that in the past week they had significantly increased inspection of air cargo on foreign flights.
And US officials disclosed on Wednesday that in the wake of the Air France cancellations, the French had agreed to give to US officials passenger manifest lists for any flights thought to be suspicious at least one hour before take-off, rather than waiting until the flight is in the air, as is now normally done.
American officials said they wanted to use that agreement as a model for ensuring tighter international aviation security in other nations as well.
The New York Times, Reuters
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