Washington, Dec. 8: Yesterday’s shooting death of American Airlines passenger Rigoberto Alpizar at Miami International Airport by a federal air marshal was cited by some congressional leaders and air security experts as the first successful ? if deadly ? example of the government’s ramped-up commercial airline security efforts.

But others said that opening fire on passengers who threaten airline travel could lead to even worse consequences for bystanders.

“This shows that the programme has worked beyond our expectations,” said John L. Mica, chairman of the House transportation subcommittee on aviation.

But some security experts question whether killing the passenger, whose wife, according to other passengers, said was mentally troubled, was justified.

Air marshals are not trained to negotiate with suspected terrorists, Mica said, especially passengers who claim they are carrying an explosive device, as Alpizar said yesterday. “Air marshals don’t have time for counselling. They have to make split-second decisions,” Mica added.