WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration issued new
guidance Jan. 18 for how airline crews should be trained to respond
to potential threats, shifting the strategy to active resistance.
The guidelines previously called for a more passive response,
under the assumption that hijackers would land the aircraft instead
of crash it into a building.
Among the changes: In any suspected or actual hijack attempt,
the flight crew should land the aircraft as soon as possible to
minimize the time hijackers would have to commandeer the aircraft
and use it as a weapon of mass destruction.
Also, any passenger disturbance should be considered suspicious,
as it could be a diversion for other more serious acts.
Airlines have 60 days to amend their training programs to
incorporate the new guidelines, and once the programs are approved,
crew members must be trained within six months.