[Alberta's Child]

I've only flown once since 9/11, and nothing like this happened during the flight.

If this kind of incident is a concern, then random groups of non-Arab passengers should get up and hustle the bastards back to their seats. Nobody will be able to figure out exactly which ones are air marshals and which ones are just Americans looking to administer a public beating to suspicious Arabs.

[dirtboy]

I don't think it's a good idea to discuss this on FR, under the "loose lips" guidelines.

[PLK]

Meanwhile, lawsuits are filed by Arabs claiming discrimination for how they were treated by airlines. Political correctness is going to be the certain death of many more Americans until the bleeding-hearts and ACLU radicals get it through their heads that radical Muslims, often in the form of M.E. origin people, want to kill us.

[Monty22]

I hated flying before 9/11, needed lots of xanax and booze.

Now I know I will never fly again. Period.

There's noplace I want to go (even Texas to Las Vegas) that I can't drive to, and see the country side.

[HitmanLV]

Remember, we are only as strong as our weakest link.

We're finished!

[Bobibutu]

I fly every other week and have done so for the past 6 years. I have not observed what you describe. I am always seated at the first non-exit bulkhead or in first class.

The flight attendents are firm about no one standing in the forward galley area or isles while waiting for the bathroom.

[Blueflag]

Frapster

I fly every week and have for years. For years passengers have 'jumped' up to make that last pit stop near the end of a flight.

You wrote the passengers went to the front lav. I infer they went from coach to first class -- a practice some airlines actually stop now, in the name of security, and perhaps a little privilege. If this was Southwest, or some airline like that, where there is no first class, then people I observe tend to go to the lav they can see.

If a group of passengers meeting a given demographic, ahem, went from the rear of the aircraft all the way to the forward lav near the end of the flight, I would say that was odd at best.

Also, it can be as simple as passengers logically noting that the rear lavs are occupied, and heading to the front.

My opinion: Passengers are no longer the threat. Between FAMs and veteran passengers, no hijacking attempt will ever be successful again on a US carrier.

[BurbankKarl]

Was talking with a buddy about an incident that happened here in Socal last month. The original call came in as an in-flight emergency, where all the PD units at airport were notified about suspicious circumstances on a 737. The plane was 10 minutes out, so there was some talk between the PD and the FAA (tower) about what was going on. Anyway, the plane landed and the police detained and questioned five "middle-eastern" males. What apparently happened was that the five guys were all flying on one-way, last minute tickets. All paid cash. All had no bags. All were sitting in different seats on the plane...but they kept looking at each other during the flight. When the captain put on the seat belt signs, all five got up to use the bathroom....that is what freaked out the head flight attendant. Anyway, all five (with five different state drivers licenses) were checked out against NCIC (Fed Computer) and came back clear....the airport PD also recorded the license plates of the cars that picked each of the guys up, and forwarded the information to the DOJ.

[aculeus]

If another 9/11 happens full blame will lie with Minetta and, sadly, his boss for not firing him a year ago.

The man has denounced the common sense approach, i.e., profiling, and your experience demonstrates that "random" checking is useless.

[aculeus]

in my conversation with the FAM she said it is their observation that quite frequently they will have incidents where Arab men, in groups of 4 or 5, will get up and move quickly to the front of the aircraft stopping at the lavatory. She said it is believed they are trying to probe the security strategy of the FAM's to identify weaknesses, number of FAM's on board (typically) and so on.

Contrary to some on this thread I think this warrants maximum publicity.

The government knows this stuff is going on ... and they continue to rule out profiling?

They are not finding some excuse for detaining these individuals?

Too bad Fox or the Washington Times can't get this out to the public.