Pilots’ unions around the world have bristled at a US request that armed sky marshals travel on some US-bound foreign passenger jets but officials in several countries said they would comply with the security order. France’s junior transport minister, Dominique Bussereau, confirmed the presence of armed elite gendarmes on some Air France flights, calling the move necessary amid heightened fears of possible extremist attacks. “We are in a period of maximum security and certain flights considered to be very sensitive are being carefully watched,” Bussereau told French public radio station France Inter. “This will last as long as we and our American friends share the same assessment of a real threat to flights headed for the United States or certain flights originating in the United States,” he added. Washington on Monday issued an emergency directive asking all foreign carriers to place armed sky marshals on flights deemed by US officials to be at risk, sparking criticism from international aviation authorities and pilots. Full Story
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