1.
SV & GV Passengers in airport lounge (4 shots)
0.13

2.
CU Traveller being interviewed
0.22


SOUND STARTS: "I believe......"



SOUND ENDS: "....help them too."


3.
SV Pilots walking down concourse
0.30

4.
CU Pilot being interviewed
0.45


SOUND STARTS: "It's unfortunate....."



SOUND ENDS: "...this stage of the game"


5.
SV Passengers on concourse
0.53

6.
CU United Airlines pilot



SOUND STARTS: "Basically......"



SOUND ENDS: ".....same thing"



COMMENTARY: "Many air travellers will find themselves stranded, all contributing to what could become a massive air traffic jam Sunday night. But most of the travellers passing through Chicago's O'Hare field today who were aware of the inconvenience, support the pilots' intentions."



PASSENGER: "I believe that they are correct to do it, yes. Their actions ought to be governed by what can be done to help them too."



COMMENTARY: "Most airline pilots are backing their unions' move as necessary to dramatise the need for immediate international action to deal with skyjacking."



PILOT: "It's unfortunate that we would have to go to this length to achieve the desired effect of curtailing these hijackings. We are willing to try anything that could possibly do some good at this stage of the game."



COMMENTARY: "The only exception to the pilots' support of their union is at United Airlines, where pilots have said they won't take part in the threatened walk-out."



UNITED AIRLINES PILOT: "Basically, the companies know that there is a problem involved. New what good can we do by inconveniencing the people by striking, you know? They are aware of the problem, and I think by forcing countries to make a stand and to do something about these people who take our airplanes, we could accomplish the same thing."




Initials ES. 2325 ES. 2355


original on 7717/72 59ft
A separate, more general introduction to the commentary is provided overleaf.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Monday's world-wide strike by airline pilots is likely to hit hardest in the United States, where it's estimated that nearly half-a-million passengers could be affected by the one-day stoppage.

As news of the strike -- aimed at forcing international action against the growing hijacking menace -- broke yesterday (Friday), National Broadcasting Company reporter Bob Jamieson sought out opinions in Chicago's O'Hare Airport, one of the world's busiest.

During his report and interviews, transcribed below, Jamieson found sympathy for the pilots' cause amongst some of the air passengers likely to be inconvenienced. But he also discovered that not all of the pilots are unanimous in supporting the stoppage. Pilots of one airline have rejected the strike call by the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association: