WASHINGTON, July 11: The lower house of the US Congress overwhelmingly approved a controversial plan on Wednesday, to arm airline pilots with guns.

In a last-minute change, the lawmakers also decided that the programme would be permanent and open to all volunteering commercial pilots, rather than the originally planned two-year trial with just 1,400 pilots.

The plan involving the more than 70,000 pilots in the United States comes in response to the September 11 attacks, which also led to tighter luggage screening, installation of stronger cockpit doors and the hiring of more undercover air marshals.

The Republican-led House of Representatives approved the plan with a 310-113 vote, but its passage was far from certain in the Democratic-held Senate.

The Transportation Department has also spoken out against the plan and is instead considering allowing flight crews to carry non- lethal electric “stun guns.”—dpa