National Airport To Reopen Thursday Under Strict Rules

After a close that stretched far beyond any other airport, Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., will reopen with limited flights tomorrow, under tight security and strict rules.

Speaking from the airport?s terminal on Tuesday, President Bush said, "There really is no greater symbol that America is back in business than the reopening of this airport."

Reagan National is within close proximity to the White House and other landmarks, and its flight paths come close to buildings along the Potomac River, including the Pentagon and the Capitol. Considering this, airport officials said flights now will follow a straight line, flying over some residential areas, rather than following the river?a plan that originally was intended to reduce noise. Additionally, all planes will carry armed air marshals on all planes using the airport.

Limited flights will resume Thursday, with shuttle flights to New York on Delta Air Lines and US Airways and to Boston on American Airlines, Delta and US Airways. This schedule will increase with flights to and from Atlanta provided by Delta and US Airways; to Chicago by American and United Airlines; to Dallas by American and Delta; to Minneapolis by Northwest Airlines; to Newark by Continental Airlines; and to Pittsburgh by US Airways. These additional flights will be added as soon as new security requirements are in place.

By mid-November, about half of the 792 daily commercial flights that operated at Reagan before the Sept. 11 attacks again will be operating. The twin-engine, 150-seat Boeing 737 will be the largest plane allowed to use the airport, according to officials.

Passengers will be limited to one carry-on bag and undergo two security checkpoints and identification checks. Airport employees and flight crews also will undergo expanded identification checks. As at most of the major national airports, an expanded police presence also will be visible. Onboard the planes, cockpit doors will be bolted, according to Rep. James Moran (D-Va.).

The shutdown of the airport has impacted deeply the Washington economy. Before the attacks, an estimated 42,000 passengers used the airport on an average day.