United Airlines Will Install Advanced Tasers in Cockpits on All Aircraft; Announces Additional Security Training for Flight Attendants

United Airlines (NYSE:UAL) has announced two major initiatives designed to further enhance security on board its aircraft for customers, flight attendants and pilots. United said it will become the first major airline to install advanced Taser weapon devices in every cockpit on all its aircraft, subject to relevant approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration for an appropriate fleet-wide test program. United also said that after an extensive study of security issues for flight attendants, it is now ready to introduce a special training program for all flight attendants.

United will install advanced Taser weapons in electronically-coded lock boxes on each of its aircraft. The Tasers will be available to pilots in the event of a hijacking in order to defend the cockpit. The Tasers are in addition to other new security measures United has taken, including reinforcement of all cockpit doors in its operating fleet with an iron bar device.

"United and its pilots believe Tasers are an important addition to enhanced cockpit security. Tasers will incapacitate an attacker without endangering the airplane," said Andrew P. Studdert, United Airlines chief operating officer and executive vice president.

The Taser weapons fire an electronic charge that instantly disables an attacker, allowing time for them to be restrained. United expects installation of the Tasers in aircraft cockpits to begin shortly, subject to United also said today that it will introduce special training for pilots on cockpit defense, covering use of Tasers.

"United's pilots and flight attendants have provided invaluable input and feedback to all of our new security measures, processes and training," said Studdert. "I thank the Air Line Pilots Association and the Association of Flight Attendants at United for the leadership they have shown on security issues."

Flight Attendant Training

United said it has now completed a study of security and safety issues relevant to flight attendants in light of other security programs now in place.

As a result, the company will begin to roll out the first phase of a specialized training program for flight attendants designed to enhance cabin security and provide flight attendants with other skills and knowledge that can be used to protect themselves, enhance cabin security and assist customers. Each of United's flight attendants will go through the new training. The company said it would not comment further on the new flight attendant training or on pilot training in order to maximize effectiveness of the programs.

Commenting on the training, Sara Fields, the company's senior vice president for onboard service said: "We have worked diligently to create a program that provides our flight attendants with the knowledge and skills required to ensure their security and safety. We recognize that this training is only a first step in what will be an evolving process as we continue to work with aviation security experts, the government and our own professional flight attendants."