Posted on 02/04/2003 8:22:19 PM PST by HAL9000
BOSTON, Feb 04, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- United Airlines said Tuesday that a box cutter found by a passenger on an airplane at Logan Airport was mistakenly left there by a mechanic in Denver.A first-class passenger discovered the blade in the magazine pouch of the seat in front of her as passengers were boarding a Jan. 28 flight from Boston to San Francisco. The flight was delayed by three hours while security workers scoured the plane and rescreened passengers.
United spokeswoman Chris Nardella said the tool was mistakenly left on the plane by a mechanic. Besides the crew, about 80 passengers were on board the plane.
Box cutters were believed used as weapons by the Sept. 11 hijackers. The two hijacked planes that struck the World Trade Center departed from Logan.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
At any rate, I don't buy any employee "innocently" slipping a box cutter into the magazine pouch of a plane.
For cryin' out loud...traditional hijacking of aircraft has "gone the way of the dodo bird" regardless of weapon utilized. How many of us would sit quietly in our seats if someone jumped up with a boxcutter, knife, handgun, and/or bazooka to take control of the airplane?
Stop worrying about the businessman with the 3" pocketknife already. Future hijackers will be cleaned out of airplanes with spatulas and high-pressure water hoses...if any remains can be found.
~ Blue Jays ~
**********
We're in agreement regarding their formal response. The airline should just fess-up and state that a maintenance worker/mechanic/cleaning staff forgot his TOOL on the aircraft.
The unintended consequence of media attention on these so-called "weapons" is that otherwise able-bodied men nearly faint when they see a nailfile, toenail clippers, or a po-po-pocketknife (gasp!) in the course of their lives.
I can see Mr. New Age Man at the airport now: "Yikes! I saw a boxcutter today! Call my therapist, put on soothing music, draw the chamomile tea, and light the strawberry-scented candles...I'M SCARED and I need to talk. Save me!
Sorry I got a little off-topic there. The point is that the airline should calmly state what happened, and take their lumps for not following updated protocol.
~ Blue Jays ~
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.