US transportation chief says he will ensure safety of DC air traffic

WASHINGTON, Dec 12 - U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Friday he will not allow military helicopters and commercial passenger planes to come near Reagan Washington National Airport despite a bill in Congress that some critics say could lead to unsafe traffic.

A January 29 crash near Reagan between an Army Black Hawk and an American Airlines passenger jet killed 67 people and sparked alarm about aviation safety. "We will not have fixed-wing and helicopter traffic. It's not going to happen," Duffy said at a press conference, adding department lawyers are studying the language, but he is confident he will be able to keep safeguards in place.