Posted on 01/04/2002 9:34:45 PM PST by ImphClinton
Edited on 04/29/2004 1:59:53 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Here's one from Karen who's from upstate, New York. Big territory. "Bill, I almost always agree with you, but you are really wrong on this one. The pilot did exactly the right thing. And anyone who believes a government ID cannot be forged is living in a fantasy."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Dave S is dead wrong on just about every post.
I would be happy to if eveyone else here was equally willing to stop trashing the agent until its clear what really happened.
Considering the history of both, most especially the recent history of both, then yes, one would be safe in assuming that he is wrong.
YO, the second pilot couldn't read the information and didn't know WHO scratched out the flight information. He had two tries AFTER that to get it right and still left information off. The last one he "forgot" to even sign or put the phone number down. You'd think a USSS agent, on the Presidential Detail, would pay a little more attention to detail. That alone would make me suspicious.
See how quick I was to admit a mistake, when, in fact, I hadn't made one?
It appears the agend DID admit to losing his temper (unless, of course, you continue to assert that everybody at American Airlines is lying), and he admitted to not filling out the paperwork properly (chip-on-the-shoulder syndrome).
You seem to be hung up on this "banned for life" thing.
If you think AA would have enforced that policy after a thorough airing of this in private, you're naive.
Do you have some kind of vested interest in the Secret Service? A relative maybe?
You and harbour and poohbah are the only ones who are going to the mat for this agent, but harbour and poohbah hate AA's guts. They're not objective.
I've worked with a lot of AA people in my life and sold to them for eight years for IBM.
They are NOT my airline of choice. But, this thing is so clear cut to me to be almost beyond question.
The agent, for his own sake, should drop this, unless he intends to file a lawsuit and hopes to hit the lottery.
Somebody's going to have to, because he's got attorneys hanging off him like groupies.
It was an a spokesperson for the SS, not the agent who was quoted in the article. I dont see any proof one way or the other that the SS agent had anything to do with bringing the case into the newspapers. Plenty of people at the airport had the opportunity to observe a dispute at the gate between an armed arab claining to be a SS agent, a AA pilot, gate personnel, and an airport cop.
As far as CAIR, do you know for a fact that he filed the complaint or that CAIR filed the complaint "on his behalf" but really for their own benefit? I dont know. Im just asking?
The flight was already being delayed 40 minutes to allow time for the luggage and passengers from the other flight to be transferred onboard. It took five minutes to confirm his identity when someone with half a brain called the White House. The idiot pilot spent an additional 35 minutes on this that he could have been in the air if he had made the call.
This arab had just spent three months working with the FBI Counter-Terrorism Unit going after terrorist cells in this country. Now he guards the President of the United States. What must an Arab do in this country to satisfy you, commit suicide as partial payment for those that died on 9/11?
The only way that would have been effective is if the airline had a video phone. Just calling would only verify a name and would in no way verify that the man holding an ID with that name on it was, in fact, who he claimed to be. Had the agent behaved in a manner that indicated he might be who he said he was, the question might not have ever come up. But he didn't. Who's to say the guy didn't steal the ID? After all, we know that AA pilots had THEIR ID stolen by terrorists in order to gain access to cockpits, what's to stop them from faking the ID of an existing agent?
You dont think the Agent in Charge at the white House would recognize the voice of someone that works for him? If Master Card asks you for your mothers maiden name, last four digits of social security number, zip code, etc. you dont think the Agent in Charge couldnt ask the Agent a series of questions that only he would know the answer to?
Also ever hear of FAX or computers? The pilot wanted American to fax him photos of all known terrorists. Are you saying that within five minutes, the Secret Service couldnt fax or email either the pilot, the gate, the airline, or aiport police a full color photo of the agent.
Not cop an attitude because he thinks HE (an SS agent) shouldn't be inconvenienced. Also, don't throw your rank in the face of an airline captain.
CAIR's boxed this agent into a corner however.
And whether you OR the Muslims/Arabs like it, they are in the box now.........or would you rather we just PRETEND that those guys weren't from the Middle East?
Remind me NEVER to fly with you; you'd put my life at risk to satisfy your PC agenda.
Can you not READ and understand the English language.
The very FIRST reports of this were from CAIR.
Are you really this naive, or do you just like to be contrary?
We've got enough Arabs doing that already...they're called terrorists.
The thing is, the situation WAS resolved, it had less to do with the agents nationality then it had to do with his threatening manner as well has his challange to authority. The captain of an airplane is responsible for the wellbeing of a multimillion dollar investment as well as the souls of a couple hundred human beings who are depending on that captain to get them where they are going safe and sound.
The more I think about this matter, the less respect I have for this agent.
FReegards,
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