12/01/2004: KLM agrees with air marshalls.
KLM will agree, with some strict requirements, on allowing airmarshalls into its planes. The Dutch ministry of justice wants to experiment for six months with armed guards on certain flights to the US. The US demands that these armed marshalls travel allong on certain “high-risk” flights to the US.
KLM demands that the pilot will always remain in command of the flight. It should also be made clear who is to be responsible when a passengers is injured by an airmarshall. The pilots are firmly against fire arms and demand that the captain is always in command of the flight.
The plan is that KLM signs a “treaty” confirmnig this within weeks. The airline wants to do so in cooperating with the ministry of justice and the ministry of transport. When this has been done the airmarshalls are allowed in.
KLM is urging for lightly armed guards. The idea is to arm the marshalls with guns with rubber bullets or tranquilizer darts.
The Netherlands has already trained the first marshalls. As ordered by justice secretary mr. Donner they have been given a special training in Germany and Israel. Air France already allows marshalls on board some of its flights to the US. The US wants this as part of their war on terror.
By: wysiwyg - 14th January 2004 at 09:17
The difference is that instead of trying the original tactics of bulldozing these processes through, the governments are now starting to realise they must work with the airlines to establish proper procedures.
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January 12, 2004 at 10:53 pm