<
--------------
STRATFOR.com
--------------
THE INTERNET SOURCE FOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE
If it’s in the news, it’s too late...
U.S.: JFK Security Gaffs May Cause Regional Clogs
November 12, 2001
Analysis
The crash of American Airlines Flight 587 near John F. Kennedy International Airport is likely to have a major impact on airports in the northeastern United States, whatever the final determination of the cause.
Airbus A300-600R. American Airlines operates a large fleet of 35 Airbus A300 aircraft. The mainbase of these aircraft is Miami Airport. The aircraft on the picture is seen at London Heathrow.
Photo source: The Airliner Gallery -- Airbus A300.
The airport has already been criticized for lax security. JFK undoubtedly will draw increased federal scrutiny, and this may spell logjams for other regional airports picking up flights from JFK.
Ultimately, this would add to the woes of the already troubled airline industry and further hinder the tourism industry's recovery from fears of terrorism.
Based on the number of international passengers, Airports Council International -- a Geneva-based group that tracks and monitors airport statistics -- ranks JFK as the busiest international airport in North America. In 2000, it was the 14th busiest airport in North America and ranked 20th in the world.
The airport's size and location, however, have contributed to a security system that is often criticized in federal and private reports. In 1996 the Port Authority, which oversees operations at JFK, commissioned a report that found JFK susceptible to "fanatics and suicide missions intending to blow up American aircraft," according to a New York Times report at the time. JFK also ranked among the top-three worst airports in a security review done by Federal Aviation Administration investigators in 1999.
(The Rest of the Story)
(c) 2001 Stratfor, Inc.
Dan
Current Events » in reply to Flight 587: Mechanical Failure or Terrorist Attack . . . ?
U.S.: JFK Security Gaffs May Cause Regional Clogs . . .