What was the procedure for scrambling jets on 9/11? [View All]

[ramblin_dave]

The following source makes the claim that the "longstanding procedure for scrambling jets whenever air traffic control reported a suspected or actual hijacking" had been changed "by an instruction from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued on June 1, 2001".

http://www.worldnewsstand.net/MediumRare/40.htm

The Aviation Week article mentioned in the above source is here:

http://www.aviationnow.com/content/publication/awst/20020603/avi_stor.htm

Note this paragraph:

"I told him to scramble; we'll get clearances later," Arnold said. His instincts to act first and get permission later were typical of U.S. and Canadian commanders that day. On Sept. 11, the normal scramble-approval procedure was for an FAA official to contact the National Military Command Center (NMCC) and request Pentagon air support. Someone in the NMCC would call Norad's command center and ask about availability of aircraft, then seek approval from the Defense Secretary--Donald H. Rumsfeld--to launch fighters.

This describes a much more elaborate procedure than I had assumed all along, one that definitely would slow things down, especially if Rumsfeld had to approve.

Was a much simpler "longstanding procedure" actually changed in June 2001 to a more complicated one as alleged in the above article?