Distracted flying

The flying public has enough to concern itself with higher ticket prices, baggage fees, crowded flights and tarmac delays without worrying over whether the pilots are paying attention.

But now more airline passengers may be wondering just what their flight crew is doing in the cockpit after two Northwest Airlines pilots overshot their airport by some 150 miles. The pilots have admitted they were using their laptops during a discussion of the airline's new crew-scheduling program.

They were so engrossed in their discussion that they did not notice repeated attempts by air traffic controllers and others to reach them. The military was ready to scramble fighter jets, fearing the worst, but that proved unnecessary after a flight attendant alerted the crew that they had missed their airport. The pilots turned around somewhere over Wisconsin and finally landed their 144 passengers at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.

Reaction to the incident has been quick. The airline suspended the pilots for violating policy banning the personal use of laptops by pilots during flights. The Federal Aviation Administration revoked their licenses, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

The inquiries could lead to new rules but that isn't enough for some in Congress, who think there ought to be a law. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., chairman of the aviation subcommittee, plans to introduce legislation banning the use of laptops and other personal electronic devices. Still, before rushing in with another law, Congress ought to leave it to the regulatory agencies to correct.