Senate Panel OKs Bill on Airport Security
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Thursday approved a bill that would order the Transportation Department to suspend U.S. air service to and from foreign airports considered security risks.
The bill was introduced in response to the hijacking last month of TWA Flight 847 after it left Athens for Rome. The jetliner eventually landed in Beirut, and 39 American hostages were held for 16 days before being released by their Shia Muslim captors. A U.S. Navy petty officer was killed by the hijackers.
The legislation directs the Transportation Department to assess security at international airports used by U.S. airlines and to notify the governments of those airports where security is found to be poor.
If the foreign government does not take corrective action within 60 days, the Transportation Department would warn Americans of the problem and suspend service by U.S. airlines to the airport as well as flights by airlines of that country to the United States.
The bill, which now goes to the full Senate, is similar to two measures passed by the House last month.
After the TWA hijacking, the State Department warned Americans to avoid Athens airport because of lax security.
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