Dallas, TX --  The view from the cockpit is that Congress still has a number of holes to fill before Americas airline industry has the top levels of security that todays terror threats demand.

Southwest pilots are among those joining calls for biometric identification for aircrew and improved ground security as outlined in todays announcement of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA) Security Report Card.

As airline pilots, we have an up close and personal look at the gaps in security as we move through our minute-by-minute, day-by-day flight operations, SWAPA Vice President, Capt. Carl Kuwitzky said. Our ultimate goal is the safety and security of our passengers and our crews.  We never take for granted that the most precious cargo we carry is someones family, someones loved ones who depend on us to depart and arrive safely.

As a member of CAPA, Southwest pilots fully support the call for Congress, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to develop and fully fund the security initiatives that are needed to fill gaping holes in air travel security.

In particular, Southwest pilots place a high priority on the implementation of biometric credentialing for air crew members.  Biometric identification would allow TSA screeners to focus on real threat opportunities, rather than waste precious resources on millions of crew screenings when time and expertise could be better spent on risk-based behavior profiling and improved technology for explosive device detection.

Ground security is a high-level concern as pilots find our aircraft on the ramp unguarded, susceptible to sabotage and airport perimeters largely unprotected.  Aircraft security inspections are adequate, but there is a lack of effective and consistent security in this area.

For more detailed information on these and other security issues contained in the CAPA Security Report Card, please see the CAPA website at www.capapilots.org.