OUR OPINION: WAYWARD PILOTS

The actions of two Northwest Airline pilots who overshot their destination at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport by 150 miles because they were engrossed with their laptop computers is inexcusable.

While we trust most pilots to do a certain amount of multi-tasking while flying, the complete absence of what airline officials term as situational awareness is extremely disturbing.

The action to take away their licenses was appropriate. If they continue to be employed by the airline we'd recommend they be put to work hauling luggage. No, wait! We're not sure we'd trust them to see that baggage ended up in the right plane. Perhaps flight attendant would be a better position for the attention-deficit pilots. The long narrow aisles of a jet would provide them little opportunity to veer off course.