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Editor: James T. Crouse
Profession: Aviation Accident Attorney

Category: Aviation Safety

According to a CNN report less than 1% of our U.S. commercial flights are protected by armed federal air marshals - that's about 280 flights out of 28,000 per day. Now, Frieda has several questions. This action seemed necessary after 9/11 and perhaps it's been successful - so why stop now - why let down our guard - and why on earth are we letting this information out so our enemies know we have become ineffective or worse - complacent? At least the news didn't report which flights were guarded, so there may still be some element of surprise.

Of course the TSA strongly denies this report, stating this "grossly understates coverage by an order of magnitude" and that the number is "four digits" - he explained no further. The TSA refused to give the exact number of marshals flying on a daily basis because it didn't want to "tip our hand to terrorists" stating that there are thousands a day flying on commercial flights. TSA tells its agents that at least 5 percent of all flights are covered while the marshals state that figure is impossible and are especially troubled by the lack of protection on flights in and out of Washington, D. C. and New York - the two cities targeted by 9/11. Pilots who fly regular routes are reporting not seeing marshals on their flights in 6 months or more. These reports come even after the TSA itself has conducted test in which guns and bomb- making materials have gotten past security.

One air marshal stated that while security is definitely a reason not to publish the number of agents or flights covered by the agents, he believes the TSA doesn't want the taxpayers to know the truth. CNN reports that sources stated "the program has been unable to stem the losses of trained air marshals since the program's numbers peaked in 2003 - and many of those who have left have not been replaced".

David Mackett, president of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance - and a pilot himself - stated the following:

"I can only speak for myself and the 23,000 members of my organization, and we are not seeing anywhere near the coverage they are asserting they have," Mackett said. "They are whistling past the graveyard, hoping against hope that this house of cards that they call airline security doesn't come crashing down around them."

At a time when even our presidential candidates admit America has lost trust in Washington, it's agencies. and it's policies, yet another controversy comes to light. We the people, don't need to know the number of air marshals in place to protect us, we don't need to know the number of daily flights that are covered by the agents, and we don't need to know just how all this security works to protect us. We do, however, need to know it's all in place as advertised and is doing its job - as advertised. If it's not working, if it's understaffed, if it's falling short of the purpose for which it was created - then fix it! "Saving face" is not worth lives! What do Americans need? We need to trust - we need honorable men and women honor to their jobs and to America - if what CNN tells us is true, this isn't happening.