Washington, Aug 14: Big US airlines are very concerned at the threat posed by shoulder-fired missiles but are satisfied with government efforts to address the matter, a leading industry official said on Wednesday. "We can't help but have a high level of concern," James May, president and chief executive of the top industry lobbying group, the Air Transport Association, told a news conference.
"I think the key here is that we work hard not to overreact and I think the administration is pursuing a very measured and careful program that is very positive," May said a day after authorities in New Jersey reported trapping a British arms dealer who was trying to smuggle a surface-to-air missile into the United States.
Prompted by Congress, the Homeland Security Department has established a programme to assess the feasibility of outfitting the commercial fleet with anti-missile systems, which are used on military aircraft.

The government is considering eight companies that could develop the technology but has no timetable for issuing contracts. The earliest date being considered for equipping planes is the end of 2005.
"We want to see the government show that there is a system that works in a commercial aviation environment, and that has yet to be shown," May said. "Lots of people are talking about all these grand and glorious ideas that work in a military environment which is vastly different." Bureau Report