Japanese airlines are having difficulty implementing new safety standards to bolster the security of airplane cockpits in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, airline officials said Monday.
As part of the government's antiterrorism efforts, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry has asked Japanese airlines to strengthen cockpit doors by using reinforcement devices such as bolts on the cockpit side of the doors.
Following the request, Japan Airlines started using additional bolts to reinforce cockpit doors on 159 airplanes owned by its six group companies. It is the first time a Japanese airline has taken such measures.
However, international aviation safety standards require airlines to design planes so that the cockpit door can be easily opened in emergency situations, such as when crew members are trapped in the aircraft or cabin air pressure sharply falls.
One Japanese airline official commented on the conflicting standards: "It is necessary for us to draw up measures as quickly as possible to prevent attacks like that of Sept. 11. But what are we going to do with the conventional safety standards?"
U.S. and European carriers have already begun work to shore up cockpit doors by installing reinforcement devices. Some are even considering making the doors bulletproof and making the locking mechanism digital.
Aircraft makers such as Boeing Co. are reportedly developing cockpit doors that can ensure safety in the event of an accident, but also protect the cockpit from hijackers. The transport ministry has also asked domestic carriers to draw up antiterrorism measures involving flight attendants and air marshals.
A ministry official called the request only a temporary one, saying, "Lasting measures or world standards will be discussed in the future at such places as the International Civil Aviation Organization."