posted on October 15, 2001 04:31:14 PM new
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- A Delta Air Lines flight from
Atlanta to Newark, N.J. was diverted Sunday after two men
were seen huddled together and speaking a foreign
language in the back of the plane, officials said.
Officials at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport initially
received reports that the men were trying to break into the
cockpit, said Aviation Director Jerry Orr. It turned out to be
two Jewish men praying together in the back of the plane,
he said.
This whole country is seeing ghosts and costing people money time and embarrassment.
posted on October 15, 2001 04:41:28 PM new
I'm waiting for the lawsuits filed by these "suspicious" people to start rolling out. The Middle Eastern man who was the subject of the Chicago-to-San Jose UAL flight over the weekend is (it was reported) a prominent, longtime Silicon Valley resident. For having spilled greeting card confetti on the airplane carpet, he was stripped, given a chemical bath, and interrogated. Multiply him by a few dozen more incidents similar to this likely to occur in the future, and we'll see the demise of civil aviation in this country -- via the civil courts.
posted on October 15, 2001 04:42:08 PM new
I just read that too and thought the same thing.
Did you read about the man who grabbed the microphone from the flight attendant the other day so he could lead the passengers in prayer? They put him off the plane, which I understood.
posted on October 15, 2001 04:47:59 PM new
My daughter and her husband have a close friend who is Indian.
They asked him if he has experienced any repercussions, as he has flown several times since 9/11. He said not, but that people seem to look at him longer than they use to.
With his great sense of humor, he attributed the stares to his good looks.
posted on October 15, 2001 05:25:19 PM new
Through a very tried-and-true method, Hepburn: vivid imagination. And when that is coupled with fear/paranoia, we get scenarios right outta The Twilight Zone...
posted on October 15, 2001 05:29:19 PM new
There was an ancident in which some airplane seats were taken out because an emplyee saw 'white powder' on them. It turned out to be stuff that other employees use to lube the seat back mechanism. The flight was delayed for hours.
posted on October 15, 2001 05:32:53 PM new
I'm surprised, actually, that more people haven't seen white powder on their flights. Airplanes (esp. Southwest's) are not cleaned between hops and people spill sugar and coffeemate all the time during the in-flight complimentary beverage service...
posted on October 15, 2001 05:40:43 PM new
MY MIL's boyfriend just returned today from New Mexico. Was one of four people on the entire plane...they they stopped in Hot Springs, AR. and three passengers got off, leaving him as the lone passenger to finish the trip. So...the scares seem to be working.
posted on October 15, 2001 06:40:34 PM new
Linda K - it is sad to see that the fear is working so well. No wonder the airlines are losing money. One person on a whole plane that's just crazy.
My DIL broke down the other day, and I thought maybe someone had said something to her. She said no, but she has gotten some lingering looks. But, the reason was because she was is so scared. Not only does she worry about things here, but also, her family in Indonesia. The speech the Indonesian President made today didn't help either.
She calls someone in her family at least three times a week (you should see her phone bill). The verbal attacks have started towards her family because she and her aunt are married to Americans and live here. There have been threats made to them, but no physical violence yet. I try to comfort her, but I know how I would feel if the situation were reversed.
