Tighter airline security legislation seen by end of year

Last Tuesday's attacks altered not only the New York skyline, but also the lens through which aviation-related legislation will be viewed, industry and congressional observers said.

Several sources agreed that, in the aftermath of the attacks, security issues would dominate the aviation landscape indefinitely.

"My sense is that it's all about security now," one aviation lobbyist said. "It's really going to suck the oxygen out of the system."

The prediction is borne out by committee schedules for the coming weeks, which sources said would include several aviation security hearings.

Sources said the Senate Commerce Committee was aiming for a hearing on aviation security Thursday, while the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is trying to coordinate two days of hearings, one Friday and another next Tuesday.

A GOP committee source said the House Transportation and Infrastructure panel would be coming at the issue in a two- pronged fashion: aircraft security and the financial viability of the airline industry, which has been threatened in the aftermath of the terrorist strike and Federal Aviation Administration's order grounding all flights in its wake.

Sources said it is feasible to expect there will be legislation resulting from these hearings, possibly by the end of the year.

Asked about the timeline, the Republican committee source said: "We want to do the right thing and we want to do it quickly. Hopefully we can do something quick and smart, and the earlier, the better."

Several aviation industry watchers say they expect a vigorous debate over whether airlines, airports or the federal government should oversee passenger security screening. Sources said airline officials have been interested in federalizing airline security for some time. Congressional hearings are expected to be held regardless what more immediate actions the FAA might take.

Last week's events also mean some pending aviation measures are off the table for now, sources predicted. Those likely include passengers' rights legislation and measures designed to expedite runway construction.

However, with congestion and delay already high in air travel, "another hour [of delay] and aggravation" associated with increased security screenings could send "the economics of short haul flights right down the tubes," said Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition.

The Republican committee source admitted the terrorist attack will force most panels to reshuffle priorities, but noted that putting certain issues like airport infrastructure improvements on the back burner "does not mean we won't do them ... this Congress. [We have to] address the most pressing and urgent matters before us."

The committee's previous legislative priorities "remain undiminished. It's just that we have to take care of business on a first-things-first basis," the committee source said.