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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 2219.PDF
Pressure mounts for Beirut blockade LONDON Pressure is growing for the isolation of Beirut Airport in the wake of the Trans World Airlines 727 hi-jack. The US and UK Govern ments are leading the call for a total ban on international flights to and from the airport which is controlled by Shi'ite militiamen, and which is claimed to have become the launchpad for terrorists want ing access to the international airline network. The stand has won the support of pilots' organisations, including the International Federation of Airline Pilots Associations (Ifalpa) and the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa). But industry obser vers fear that attempts to ensure united action on a Beirut ban may founder. President Reagan and Margaret Thatcher will be urging leaders at this week's summit of the world's seven major industrial powers to reaffirm the 1978 Bonn Agreement (of which they are all signatories). The agree ment pledges countries to take sanctions against incom ing flights from nations which fail to act against terrorism. The USA has already announced its desire to close down Beirut Airport and has forbidden Beirut-based Middle East Airlines from flying to the USA. But the carrier still flies to more than 30 international destinations including six in countries which are signatories of the Bonn Agreement. The UK says it will support multilateral action against Beirut. In the meantime, however, MEA flies to Heath row four times a week although it is understood that its aircraft are subjected to special security measures, including parking on a remote stand and the screening of incoming passengers. The British and Americans may have problems in persuading France, in particular, to support action which would hit MEA. State-owned Air France has a 28 per cent stake in MEA and militiamen are thought to be holding several French citizens kidnapped in Lebanon in recent months. President Mitterrand will want to do nothing to arottse their anger. Arab nations are also unlikely to back a block ade. Nevertheless, Ifalpa is firm in its opinion that sanctions are necessary against Lebanon under the Bonn Agreement and it says it will consider using its industrial muscle if a swift response from the aviation community is not forthcoming. "Those governments who do not keep to the agreements should be persuaded to live-up to their responsibilities," says a spokesman. It is a theme echoed by the International Civil Aviation The Lebanese Army has a symbolic presence at Beirut Airport although control really lies with Moslem militiamen Organisation (Icao) in Montreal. Icao president Assad Kotaite said last week that governments had a duty to implement the key provisions of Icao conven tions which included the extradition and prosecution of hijackers. Meanwhile the Inter national Air Transport Asso ciation (lata) has called on airport authorities and airlines to step-up security in the ramp area amid growing suspicions that hijackers are smuggling arms on board aircraft via airport services. Iata's security committee also emphasised the need to continue developing high technology equipment to prevent air piracy. Iata's team investigating security at Athens, where the TWA hijackers are thought to have boarded the aircraft, will present its report to the Greek Government this week. Investigation chief Brian Wall says that since the hijacking, security at the airport has been raised to "fully acceptable inter national standards". An examination by the Inter national Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronic Associations of the X-ray screening equipment at Athens found no faulty systems. Airports worldwide have strengthened security in the wake of the hijack crisis and of fears that a bomb caused the Air-India 747 crash. The US Federal Aviation Admin istration has taken a number of steps, including expanding the "sky marshall" programme, designating a security co-ordinator on each flight and eliminating curb- side check-in (whereby baggage and ticket check-in take place separately) for international flights. New security measures elsewhere include: # Bangkok's Don Muang Airport is to introduce a new X-ray security check on outbound passengers from mid-August. # Jakarta's new Cengkareng Airport is to increase the number of security officers employed, possibly doubling the workforce of 400. 9 Singapore's Changi Airport has stepped up body searching and frisking and is advising airlines to check hold luggage with a hand-held vapour sensor to detect explosives. AIR TRANSPORT Lufthansa delays propfan purchase FRANKFURT Lufthansa will buy propfan- powered aircraft, but not until second-generation devel opments have been incorpo rated, according to the airline's deputy chairman, Reinhardt Abraham. He was explaining the West German flag-carrier's deci sion to order 15 Airbus Indus trie A320s with 25 options, Flight July 6, page 2) rather than wait for Boeing's 150-seat propfan airliner, promised for delivery in 1992. Lufthansa's view is that the first production type to embody a comprehensive package of new technology is not always the most success ful. Abraham cites the Comet, which was later eclipsed by the Boeing 707, as an histori cal example. Second-generation devel opments can be much more valuable operationally, com ments Abraham. Lufthansa will certainly order a propfan- powered aircraft, he adds, but it will not be an early customer. Abraham is also sceptical about Boeing's 1992 target in- service date for the albnew 150-seat aircraft which, it is claimed, will incorporate significant technology advances in aerodynamics, systems, and structures, as well as propulsion. Boeing's strategy is to persuade poten tial A320 customers to delay purchase decisions until this new aircraft is available. Although he is convinced that the new aircraft will be built, "1992 is a very ambi tious target", says Abraham. Even if that target is met, it is too late for Lufthansa, which needs a 150-seat replacement for its 727s no later than 1990. The A320 will be in service in 1988. Abraham also stresses Lufthansa's continued inter est in AI's proposed TA.ll. He says the carrier has a strong need for a 200-225 seat long-range aircraft as soon as possible. "LIGHT International, 13 July 1985
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