Airlines Put Hands Out--Again

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[P][STRONG][FONT face=Arial size=4]Airlines Put Hands Out -- Again[/FONT][/STRONG][/P]
[P][A href=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46311-2002Sep20.html]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46311-2002Sep20.html[/A][/P]
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[AOG-N-IT]

I have to agree with the position the airline CEO's are taking. This should not be a wieght that any individual carrier should bare independently. My thoughts place this issue within the realm of National Security. Airlines do not make national policy...or show open support of any particular foriegn governments or groups...We are forced to live within thier business rules regarding flights. Terrorism which is the major concern....is a by-product of our nations policies regarding our support of Israel...and our increased involvement within the Arabic speaking world. To an even greater degree...the hatred shown by terrorists is due in fact to thier hate of us as a free speaking and thinking nation. The airlines should not be forced to indure the issues complicated by global politics. I do believe that carrier X,Y or Z has a bonfied obligation to insure a safe cockpit door system....and I believe carrier X,Y,and Z has an obligation to insure background checks of it's employee's ...and in all cases , it's sub-contracted employee's too. The Federal government has finally seen the light regarding the need for increased measures of the Security Screeners..and in a smaller way has increased the presence of Federal Sky-Marshalls. This shows that the Government understands it's obligations to what I will call again, National Security Issues We as airlines should not have to pay for what the constitution already provides for...and what our Tax dollars should already be providing for. The arguement can be made for this all being the price of doing business....well and true , but you could easily end up with the price of business eliminating many airlines. Then you could easily have a solo circumstance , that borders on the business model of Aeroflot. This maybe an extreme example....but unless Security costs decrease...and ridership increases. This is a possible direction in time. In short...security costs need to be part of the price of a ticket...and every ticket should bare an equal burden of costs. Please do not mis-understand my position regarding National Policy...I agree that we need to support Israel...and I believe in our quest for peace in the middle east. I just do not believe any public or private company should be forced to indure a financial burden because of it. I feel sure that Microsoft, GM and countless other large corporations would feel the same...if this type of burden was leveled at them conducting business. End of rant..........AOG-N-IT