Vielleicht ist dies ein Grund für den Stimmungswechsel:
Bush tells nation: 'Get on board'
CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- President George W. Bush unveiled sweeping proposals here Thursday to secure the nation's airports and planes and convince Americans that it's safe to fly again.
Staging a pep rally at O'Hare International Airport, Bush called for a heavy presence of armed National Guard troops in airports and said he will "dramatically increase" the number of federal air marshals aboard planes.
"We will not surrender our freedom to travel," he said on a tarmac at O'Hare. The backdrop featured a United Airlines plane on one side and an American Airlines jet on the other.
"Get on board," he said. "Do your business around the country. Fly and enjoy America's great destination spots.
"Take your families and enjoy life the way we want it to be enjoyed."
Half-billion-dollar commitment
Bush told the crowd of airline employees and political leaders that he is setting aside $500 million in new funding for airport security. Grants will be given to airlines to fortify cockpit doors and provide stronger locks "so that our pilots are always in command of the airplanes," Bush said. He also wants surveillance cameras on board so that pilots know what's going on in the cabins, he said.
The president said the government is investing in new technology to guarantee that the aircraft's transponder -- which communicates its location to air-traffic controllers -- can never be destroyed. He also wants technology put in place allowing an air-traffic controller to take over a distressed aircraft and land it automatically.
These plans, he said, "are making a strong statement that, together, the government and the private sector can make flying a way of life again in America."
The flag-waving throng cheered when Bush announced that there would be new standards and equipment for security operations and that the federal government would take control of all passenger and baggage screening -- an airport feature that has taken on new urgency since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. He also is insisting on intensive background checks, conducted by the federal government, for all security personnel.
"We will make our standards tougher and better and consistent all around the country," he said.
Tax component
The president is expected to establish a new tax on airline tickets to pay for the security measures, whose price tag probably would exceed the $3 billion allocated by Congress. The new charge reportedly could range from $1 to $3 for each leg of a trip.
Fully implementing the proposal could take four to six months, but Bush is asking the governors of all 50 states to call up National Guard forces immediately, at the federal government's expense.
Bush's visit came the day after the nation's No. 4 airline joined the lengthy list of carriers laying off workers and curtailing service. Delta Air Lines (DAL: news, chart, profile) said it would ask 13,000 employees to voluntarily leave before unilaterally issuing pink slips.
Bush, however, focused his time in Chicago on UAL Corp. (UAL: news, chart, profile) and AMR Corp. (AMR: news, chart, profile), the parent companies of United Airlines and American Airlines.
Hijackers steered those carriers' planes into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington in the terrorist attacks. United's headquarters are near O'Hare, while American has a major presence at the airport.
Bush pointed out the parked American and United jets and called their placement appropriate: "America is united."
The president lauded the troubled industry and its leaders. "America understands that these have been incredibly tense days for the people who work in the airline industry," he said. "We appreciate your steadfast willingness to fight terror in your own way."
"Since the tragic events of Sept. 11, the president has shown his commitment to aviation as a core component of U.S. commerce and the American way of life," said UAL's chief executive, James Goodwin. "His visit to Chicago will reinforce that message in the strongest way possible."
Jennifer Waters is the Chicago bureau chief for CBS.MarketWatch.com.
