GroundSupportWorldWide.com |

The world's airline pilots' grouping welcomed the new security measures demanded by the U.S., noting that they had not resulted in the same massive flight delays seen after the 9/11 attacks.

"Our position is that we want the bad guys kept away from airplanes," said Gideon Ewers, spokesman for the International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associations (IFALPA). "We firmly as believe that intelligence gathering and interdiction of potential terrorists is the way to protect aircraft and the flying public."

Elsewhere in the world, there has been a general ramping up of security since Christmas.

In Jordan, a key U.S. ally, security was beefed up at Amman's main international airport since the Christmas Day bombing attempt. An official at Queen Alia International Airport said "enhanced techniques" were being applied, especially in screening passengers bound for the United States. He declined to elaborate.

Pakistan's national airline said it intensified security checks for U.S.-bound passengers beginning Jan. 1, even though there are no direct flights to the States from Pakistan.

"It is beyond my imagination what more they could do," said Nadim Umer, 40, a Karachi-based linen merchant who said he was strip searched when he arrived in New York last June. "Those who are dying to go to America at any cost can put up with all this inhuman behavior, but I cannot."

Pakistan International Airlines spokesman Sultan Hasan said the passengers are subjected to special screening, including full body searches.

"We are already carrying out all possible security arrangements at our airports, which can be compared with any Western airport," Pervez George, spokesman for Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority.