Posted on 12/06/2009 11:30:27 AM PST by campfollower
slideshow In the age of balloon boys and party crashers, regular people just don't know what to believe any more.
Last week, I spent more than my share of hours trying to track down the truth about an incident on an AirTran flight out of Atlanta on Nov. 17.
Flight 297 to Houston, with about 70 passengers onboard, departed gate C-16 at 4:43 p.m. Until something happened that caused the pilot to turn around and come back.
Two and a half weeks later, the incident is in high dispute, thanks to some passengers who have spoken out on the Internet about what they say is a cover-up by AirTran and other transportation officials. This has been heating up since Tuesday, when one passenger's e-mail about the events he saw on the plane went viral, and the saga isn't over yet.
Initial media reports from Nov. 18 indicate the cause of the plane's turnaround was a single passenger who refused to turn off an electronic device. Some accounts said cell phone, some said video camera, but the bottom line is the flight crew felt something was amiss enough to turn around after they'd left the gate - no small occurrence.
In the now infamous e-mail (AirTran refers to it on their Web site www.inside airtran.com as "Flight 297 - Anatomy of an Urban Legend") a Texas man writes about an orchestrated attempt by a group of 13 men, which he characterizes as Muslim, to intimidate flight attendants and passengers.
His colorful description of the troublemakers boarding the plane, spreading out to their seats and then being uncooperative and verbally abusive toward flight attendants and other passengers hit my mailbox Tuesday, having been forwarded by the writer's friend, a former Marine and NASA employee, who also included his name, address and phone number.
Even as people scrambled to substantiate the e-mail, Muslim and leftist Web sites began characterizing the writer and anyone who thought it might have merit as "right wing racists." They immediately initiated a campaign to discredit and ridicule the writer, who actually had the audacity to speak boldly about the escalating fear and anger on the flight, though he admitted to me yesterday he'd taken artistic license with a couple points, never imagining it would travel beyond his circle of friends. He's not a journalist, and has no wish to become the next Joe the Plumber, he said.
His account, not intended for publication, focused on Arabic-speaking men using a number of tactics to upset the aircraft, such as taking photos of passengers, getting up and down from their seats at inappropriate times and intimidating others. The e-mail has, unfortunately, overshadowed the real story.
From AirTran, we know that the captain of Flight 297 felt it necessary to turn his plane around after leaving the gate. Once there the troublemakers were removed and questioned in what turned into a two-hour delay. And then, amazingly, all but two were allowed to reboard for the trip to Houston.
What ensued, according to the disputed e-mail as well as a new and highly credible eyewitness, was a small rebellion on board, with crew and at least a dozen passengers refusing to continue the flight.
Meanwhile, another Texas eyewitness, Dr. Keith Robinson, had been scheduled on the flight, but had missed his connection. He told his version of "the obvious commotion" at the gate, and added by phone he had offered his services as an ordained chaplain during the two-hour delay, but was rebuffed by AirTran officials.
"Gate agents expressed solemn concern" after the plane returned, he said, so he knew something was amiss. When the crew and a dozen passengers finally deplaned, some were openly sobbing and "anger and fear were etched on their faces."
Robinson, a good-natured man of God who formerly worked in restorative prosthodontics at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, eventually got on the plane.
"Chaplains are supposed to go where other people don't want to be," he explained. His account, also posted on the Internet, was written during the flight. He told me the Arabic-speaking men were quiet when he was on the flight, but that the tension was palpable. He believes the decision to allow the group back on the plane was based on fear of lawsuits.
"But is it inappropriate for Americans to stand together," he asked me, "draw a line in the sand and say this type of incident will not happen? Don't we have a duty to stand against this kind of intimidation?"
On Friday, AirTran spokesman Christopher White, formerly with the TSA, was snide and rude when I called to inquire about the incident. He refused to answer questions and referred me to the above-mentioned website, which is not an official statement from AirTran but a public rebuking of a customer's circulating e-mail. Note to Chris: putting a customer's writing on your site making him a target for death threats and ridicule seems rather irresponsible for a major airline. I hope someone reviews your qualifications as spokesperson.
Then, Saturday, AirTran went further, posting the assertion that the disputed e-mail writer from Texas, according to "legally binding" flight manifests, wasn't on the plane (just in case any of us believe the "urban legend" he supposedly made up out of thin air to get attention he isn't seeking,,, or something).
The e-mail writer told me today AirTran is lying and he has his boarding pass, but I'm beyond this by now, because I discovered another highly credible eyewitness to the incident was none other than Cobb businessman and security expert Brent C. Brown, CEO of Chesley-Brown International.
Brown, who is also chairman of the Marietta History Museum, confirmed late Saturday that he was on Flight 297 and that there was chaos on the plane. He believes the entire incident was mishandled by AirTran officials, though has kind words for the pilot, who he said, "was dead right" in his decision-making, and is to be commended for turning the plane around.
Seated in the third row in business class, he said it was obvious the suspicious men were interacting with each other and refusing to sit down, grounds for the pilot's decision.
Once back at the gate, however, Brown says there were no law enforcement officials visible (this contradicts the Texan's e-mail) and airline officials weren't talking to the passengers, who were openly upset and refusing to fly.
"The tension on board was incredible," Brown said. The men who came back on board after questioning were belligerent and smirking, and the people who got off, he confirmed, were traumatized.
So the story evolves. And in this age of jihadi Army officers and internet hoaxes, us regular folk continue to seek the truth.
Lbarmstrong3378@comcast.net
Clarification of post 99 that “Snopes needs to update; (it lists this story as)... false”, that refers to Northwest flight 327 in 2004, which is in fact quite TRUE as seen in the document from Homeland Security.
AirTran flight 297 is listed as “Mixture”. http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/flight297.asp
I wonder what it will take for certain people to recognize that something significant happened on the flight. How much more info do they need? We have witnesses, we have obvious events such as a flight crew refusing to fly, we have passengers demanding to be off a flight... mis communication my A**. Only the truly arrogant, a fool, or a disinfo shill could consider this event a “non issue”
Petruna stands by his statements, with the exception of his description of the men’s attire. He also said he never witnessed the Muslims watching porn, as he said in the e-mail.
You clearly called him a liar of all sorts, yet if these 2 points are inaccurate (and I also wonder why he is saying this now), yet still insists the others are correct, He still sounds half way credible since two more persons have come forward.
He never made 297. Went on a later flight. AirTran has manifests. He was in gate house when 297 taxied back in, but he SAW nothing himself.
He is the ONLY one who says Arabic people are involved. He has admitted taking “artistic license” with his descriptions. In other words, he made a lot of it up.
Sorry, but it's all way overblown BS
STOP RIGHT THERE
What are you going to say if he produces his ticket??
I used to fly for work and United lost records on me several times. 2 flights, one FROM China and 1 TO Florida
I missed a flight once out of DC and they lost the record of me getting transferred to another flight,too
So dont expect me to believe their manifest just because they say so! NOT at all!
When I made them look up the data, it was only through financial records could they prove I paid for a flight and therefore had to be on it because there was some record that way of it being me, but their passenger manifest was WRONG!
So dont go blindly believing the airline until this guy fails to produce his ticket and boarding pass!! He may be speaking to lawyers already with them!
They are also claiming time issues as “proof” that he wasn’t on the plane. Well, I used to work for an airline, and used ACARS... the tool that pulled the gate times into our tracking database. The time devices were inaccurate as heck. We had to clean up the time stamps all the time. It was a big hassle. So, I wouldn’t have any confidence on flight time data.
His Ohio-ATL flight was delayed. IT DID NOT LAND in ATL until 22 min AFTER 297 pushed back the first time. It did not hit the gate until 26 min after 297 pushed back.
This is confirmed from AirTran and ATC records. Check it out on Flight Aware.
He could not have seen what he claims to have seen since he was still 60+ miles away from ATL, in the air, on another flight when it happened!
He now admits he used “Artistic License” on the part involving “Arabic clothing.” Artistic License is fine when writing fiction. In reporting, it's called “lying.”
Everyone else agrees there was a confrontation. No one else says Arabic people were involved.
The Chaplain SAW or HEARD nothing because he was not on the flight on the original pushback. His info is all 3d hand. The guard service company owner says there was a verbal confrontation, but that's all, and does NOT say they were Arabic.
It simply does not stand up.
You are wrong about this not being Arabic or Muslims.
Dr Keith Robinson confirms that it was “Muslim Men” but you are so busy trying to convince people that “nothing happened” you have minimized the situation several times.
I personally don’t trust the AJC. If you truly have 30+ years of media experience then you should clearly understand that the Media is complicit and negligent in news coverage.
One other thing, I learned long ago, when I got fed-up with biased media coverage-”consider the source.”
That being said, I looked up your FR page and found this extremely interesting, “Now DC, London and Tampa based political consultant/media trainer for DOD, USDOJ, USDOS, Republicans and UK Conservative Party ONLY.”
So, who are you “consulting/training” for these days? AirTran, DOD or USDOJ?
where did you see his boarding pass?
Interesting. Good catch. I know for a fact that you can hire people to “work” forums. If you do a google search you can find tons of companies that do this type of thing.
Dr Robinson did not SEE or HEAR any of this personally! He only heard about it from others!
Way back in Post 36, you said he made it all up to get back at them for not bouncing the standby guy who got his seat. You have not yet provided a source for that assertion. Could you please do so?
It’s simply my belief as to his motive since we now know he could not have seen what he claimed to see and he admits he made up a lot of the story. It,s either that or he is psychotic. Let’s look at larger issue. Why are we so willing to jump to conclusuions once the magic word “muslim” is mentioned. How quicly would recognise this was all BS if story (equally BS) had been US Army or friendly fores speaking another language rather than the easy target muzzies? We believe what we want to believe.
It’s simply my belief as to his motive since we now know he could not have seen what he claimed to see and he admits he made up a lot of the story. It,s either that or he is psychotic. Let’s look at larger issue. Why are we so willing to jump to conclusuions once the magic word “muslim” is mentioned. How quicly would recognise this was all BS if story (equally BS) had been US Army or friendly fores speaking another language rather than the easy target muzzies? We believe what we want to believe.
Oh, so you used “artistic license” in your post about the issue??? So according to your logic, your entire post was BS! LOL LOL LOL!!!!!
This is not about Petruna, as much as MindBender wants it to be. This is about information regarding the what, who, and why provided by the AJC sourcing AirTran and the TSA, that is so sketchy, so incomplete, and so illogical that it strains credibility among those of us who truly are thinking critically.
Notice that MindBender has scrupulously avoided addressing any of the points I've brought up to him on this and other threads. He has responded to my posts by disputing things I never wrote and addressing points I never made.
I still want to know how it is that:
1. Any self-respecting professional journalist would a) accept as legit an airline's claim that a passenger seated behind the offender told them she "believed" the guy was speaking Spanish (What do you mean "believed"? She couldn't tell?) and b) not immediately follow-up with the question: How would a passenger who only spoke Spanish pose a translation problem on an American domestic flight bound for Texas?
2. Out of group of at least a dozen passengers travelling together, not a single one of them was able to act as a translater for the one among them who knew no English and was unable to understand the flight attendant's request to turn off an electronic device (as if sign language couldn't absolutely ADEQUATELY convey that request in any case)?
Petruna has nothing to do with the real story. The real story is that officials, through their willing dupes in the MSM, are asking us to swallow a story that is clearly ridiculous. As I've said -- it's no more believable than if AirTran and TSA officials explained to AJC that Santa and his reindeer towed the plane back to the gate because Rudolph wanted to impress his girlfriend.
If MindBender is representative of a person who has worked for 35 years as a network TV reporter, then it absolutely explains why they MSM is as lame as it is.
WRONG again, Dr. Robinson was on the flight when it did take off and finally make its way to Houston. He personally witnessed the group of Muslim men.
You are correct Finny.
Mindbender didn’t answer my question about “who he is working for either.”
I personally am laughing at his unsuccessful disinformation campaign. In my opinion FReepers are smarter than that and much better at critical thinking.
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