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
How far off was the timing on the ACARS?
5 minutes? or One hour? That would help explain some issues.
But, and point must be raised, where are the other passenger’s e-mails about their experiences? There should be some supporting or disproving the accounts!
“Time to play cowboys and muslims. But for real.”
I hear that sentiment more and more every day.
Which of your other assertions of fact are ‘simply’ your beliefs?
You are now all blocked.
What I WANT is the truth. You claimed to have it. You posted all kinds of assertions as facts, then backpedalled when called on them.
Amen! You and me both, Sister FReeper!
You are a phony baloney. I suspect you are a bigger liar than Petruna.
You are out of line with those kind of attacks on Mindbender. Cool it.
We can't. It was just ONE MORE THING MindBender is lying about. And he calls Petruna the phony! Remember folks, THIS is the kind of guy who was reporting network TV news for three-plus decades. I bet Ron Burgunday ain't got nuthin' on him!!!
Then again, Bender may have been lying about that, too.
I spoke with my friend who is in the security consulting business. While he does not know Brent Brown, he has mutual clients with them, and has a generally favorable impression of them based on his conversations with the mutual clients. In short, Brent Brown is “real” and almost certainly credible, is his take on this.
My friend designs security and access control systems for commercial and institutional buildings, and Chesley Brown primarily provides security guard services, just to explain their industry connections.
-- and I called him out for cowardly behavior and probably lying -- after all, he hasn't been able to confirm a single one of his claims to me. NOT ONE.
Why aren't you telling HIM that he's out of line telling all of us that we "have suspended what little logical thought process you had"?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm????
I think there is WAY MORE THAN ENOUGH questionable and evasive, vague reporting in the AJC report sourcing AirTran and TSA to indicate that there was something really stinky going on on Flight 297.
Just thinking critically -- as our brave and courageous friend MindBender admonished us to do (but failed to do himself).
I concur. In what way was Finny out of line? Have you read the condescending comments MindBender has made to those that are questioning the official story? In addition, did you notice that he did THE EXACT SAME THING that he is accusing Petruna of doing... making up stuff. Don’t you find that disingenuous? It stinks to high heaven.
Tell me how it is that any self-respecting reporter would settle for AirTran and TSA stating that a passenger seated behind the offfender who caused the plane to return to the gate said she "believed" he was speaking Spanish (you mean she couldn't tell? THAT's a credible witness???) and how that reporter didn't follow up with "How would a passenger who only speaks Spanish pose a language-translator problem on a domestic flight bound for Texas?"
Mindbender stated that local radio and TV stations in Houston had interviewed "dozens" of people who had been on the flight. Do you mean to tell me that not a single one of those stations could be reached by him to give him the names, or a youtube, or archived audio, of those interviews, so he could prove the claim?
The guy is a coward and probably a liar. I call 'em as I see 'em, and this Flight 297 thing stinks like yesterday's diapers -- and so does MindBender. He didn't at first -- a few days ago, I was really thinking he'd have me eating crow when he proved his claims, and as I have eaten crow before served up by fellow FReepers, well ... that's life. But he turned out not only to be a phony, but an insulting coward in the bargain.
Why coudln't he answer those three items I've posted to you in this post, and what are YOUR answers for them?
Thanks for the confirmation.
Mindbender lies worst than the AJC and Air Tran..
The Atlanta Journal/Const. and Alexis Stephens the reporter were in the process of culling their people due to the Obama recession when this incident happened. Amid the slashing and burning of reporting jobs, the AJC simply ran the Air Tran press release in the back pages of their hurting paper initially. Then the suburban Marietta Daily Journal actually did some work on the story, actually interviewing those involved and the AJC had to step up. Air Tran and their former government bureaucrat spokesperson were wrong to cover up what had happened and wrong to actually create a website to destroy the reputation and life of one of their passengers, just to cover up their incompetence and FAILURE to advocate for the safety of their crew and passengers. Twelve years later, and this still intrigues people. And that is because the airline covered for the middle eastern passengers, allowing them on the plane, while simultaneously causing great harm to their flight crews and the passengers on board. By the way, Snopes out and out lied about this incident as well as the Marietta Daily Journal journalist. I know that because I was close to the story. Shame on the leftist website SNOPES. Never believe that clickbait rag.
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