Pilot: Ejected Secret Service Agent Was 'Very Hostile'

Newsmax.com ^ | 01/03/01 | Staff Writer

[contessa machiaveli]

i have a hunch this pilot is going to need all the support he can muster. i'm emailing american airlines ASAP. these are unusual times and certain measures are required and this SS agent shouldn't be whining to CAIR and the pres.

[Publius6961]

Lawyer Christy Lopez said Wednesday night that her client "never did anything that could be construed as causing a legitimate security concern."

Based on the information in the article, the pilot would have been criminally negligent not to insist on adequate verification.
Just re-read the article, substitute "terrorist" for "agent" and it should be crystal clear even to the densest traveler.
Non-travelers don't count. It takes no effort to be PC if there is zero personal risk.

[Publius6961]

BUMP

[Poohbah]

American Airlines said that I was "very hostile" when I asked to speak to ticket agent's supervisor.

So I take this report with a grain of salt roughly the size of Mount Rushmore.

[Bahbah]

Good point.

[BlackbirdSST]

The PIC has my vote on this one. Sounds pretty typical of an insulted punk with a badge and gun. Who do we blame when a plane goes down? Who would we blame, had the PIC allowed this clown to board, and he turns out to have had forged documents? Hmmmm, The Pilot. Blackbird.

[Stultis]

Spot on. Regardless of race, religion, or whatever, regardless even of cause or circumstance, whiners DO NOT belong in an elite groups like the Secret Service. Maybe we can find this guy a job guarding a geyser in Yellowstone or something?

[the]

Great idea. Here is what I sent them:

Kudos and congratulation to your pilot who had the nerve, 
guts and gumption to stand up to that US Secret Service Agent.

By all reports the agent did not have his papers in order, and 
as such he represented a very possible threat to the safety of the flight.

Again, congratulations to your employee for doing the right thing.  I am
sure he will face some heat for this, but I hope you all back him up 
in his decision.

We must be careful now, as always, that no one who presents an unacceptable 
risk be allowed on civilian airliners, be they private citizens, or supposed 
law-enforcement officers who do not have their paperwork in order.

[spycatcher]

This agent was looking for racism. I bet after he was questioned he filled out the forms wrong and acted nervous and arrogant hoping to get kicked off the flight so he could "get them back" and file a lawsuit.

[xm177e2]

He's probably a Christian, otherwise he would also be claiming religious discrimination.

[BlessedBeGod]

If true, the pillot had good cause and the agent needs some remedial training and severe disciplining.

Absolutely agree.

[BlessedBeGod]

Typically USSS agents are allowed to fly in the cockpit jumpseat by simply booking the seat and showing their US SS ID.

Under the current circumstances this is not acceptable.

[Texas Mom]

This guy is reacting in an odd way. We should all feel more secure now that he's "outed" himself, in my opinion.

I'm with you on this one. If anyone should be on the carpet about this, it should be him. It seems to me he had a bad attitude from the beginning.

Has anyone ever said why he was late and wasn't able to fly to Texas with President Bush on AF-1? If he is part of President Bush's security should he have been with the president in the first place?

[gueroloco]

Excellent insight. Racial preference is indeed a two edged sword!!

[RummyChick]

I don't believe for a minute that this guy didn't cop an attitude.

The sad reality is that the airlines face lawsuits all the way around during this crisis..they can't win...protect the passengers and get sued..don't protect the passengers and get sued.

Just wait until a mob of passengers on a flight get sued from one of the 'victims' that they attacked because they thought he was suspicious.

AA should be freeped in support of this pilot...better safe than have another plane blow up because of someone faking an ID.

[KineticKitty]

Here is where to email American Airlines in support of the Pilot.

American Airline Customer Relations Form

Just make sure you copy everything you wrote before you submit. Sometimes the site times out on you, and your not allowed to use the back button.

[FITZ]

It sounds like this federal agent is just looking for a lawsuit. He smells money for himself, intentionally filled out the forms improperly to arouse suspicions so he could use race for a lawsuit.

[Coleus]

So the guy was just another dumb ass who was hired most likely because of affirmative action.

If the jerk couln't fill out a form properly, how on earth is he able to defend and protect our president?

[Poohbah]

If true

Two words that have been overlooked. When you are dealing with American Airlines, one must remember that AA's attitude about facts is rather...Clintonian.

I was listed as "very hostile" for asking an American Airlines ticket drone agent if I could speak to his supervisor about the massive overcharge made on my company credit card. Anything less than abject acceptance of the most humiliating AA-delivered mistreatment gets you flagged as a "very hostile" passneger, forever to be listed as a "security risk."

[BJungNan]

This is the most rediculas case. Of course the guy is going to draw attention.

Think about it...
-The guy is a body guard, likely built like one (that draws attention).
-As a body guard, he is likely trained to constantly look around (that draws attention).
-His movements and mannerisms would not be like other passengers(that draws attention).
-He looks like he is from the Middle East (say it aint so, that draws attention).

If the guy is upset, it should be at himself for being so spotted and not doing a good job of (not drawing attention).