Flight Attendant's Account of Troop Deployment from Alexandria LA to Frankfurt Germany

Dallas Golden Corridor Republican Women's Email | March 5, 2003 | S. Albertson

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

American Airlines

goes to top of my preference when I have a choice.

[demlosers]

These guys were going to Frankfurt.

She could have meant on the other side of the runway, which is Rheinmain airbase.

[PlanoMike]

Well since you're a 4+ year FReeper and have been a USAF, Logistic Officer @ Maxwell AFB for 22 years, perhaps you're correct. Regarless, I'd rather believe it is genuine.

[TankerKC]

Been there...same question. I'm just curious if anyone else has hand carried a weapon on a commercial charter...or AMC (MAC) flight for that matter.

[SW6906]

Haven't these people ever heard the saying "loose lips sink ships"?!!?

[nhoward14]

Wartime procedures in effect perhaps?

[In mourning for six years]

My daughter used to work for Tower Air and did many military flights to Kosovo, Kuwait, Korea, etc just to name a few. I just had her read the above article. She said that the article is completely accurate. Our men and women in uniform are extremely polite and it is an honor for flight attendants and flight crews to make this small contribution.

P.S. My daughter now works for American Airlines and is sorry that she has not yet been assigned any military flights.

[TankerKC]

I'm not trying to be right. I'm seriously curious. Maybe other services do carry their weapons. You know you should never give an Air Force guy a weapon anyway! ;)

[GnL]

Let's hope the airlines are still in business when this thing is over so we can get our boys and girls back home, too.

[Poohbah]

Every soldier had a big gun

How was SHE in a position to know?

"This is my rifle, this is my gun, this is for fighting, this is for fun..."

[TankerKC]

During Desert Storm we sent folks out with their weapons crated.

[Cicero]

No idea if this is genuine. But there WAS a news story posted here about two days ago which mentioned that one of the Airborn divisions was flying by commercial airliners into airfields in Kuwait.

Whether they would take field gear and weapons I don't know. I should think it more likely that the gear would be sent ahead, but none of those details were mentioned. Just a passing sentence about flying commercial airlines.

[GWB00]

Some of this sounds suspect. The word choices and terms seems wrong. Does anyone know if this piece (I got it via email last week, too) is for real? As an American Airlines Excutive Platinum flier for over 3 years and one who flies the 777, it sounds as if she is pretty accurate on the configuration of the plane. The American Airlines 777 has a three class cabin (1st, business and coach). Also, her surprise about how polite the soilders were also indicates the current times in which we live. There are really a lot of rude passengers who fly nowadays.

[demlosers]

I've seen them get on AMC flights with M16 rifles in hand, and I think they do the same for commercial charter flights that head to the MiddleEast.

[Brandybux]

I'm just curious if anyone else has hand carried a weapon on a commercial charter.

I have.

In January 1970, I was returning to Nam after an emergency family leave. I was routed through Treasure Island in San Francisco, whereupon I was chosen to escort two AWOLs back to Okinawa. Among my guard-duty issue was a .45 pistol, with ammo.

We flew a regular commercial flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, where I delivered the AWOLs to the brig, while we waited passage on a civilian charter. At the gate, I informed the attendants I was armed, showed the orders I carried, and they told me I would need to surrender the pistol to the captain upon boarding.

We boarded first, and I surrendered the pistol to the captain. After landing, we deplaned last, and the captain returned the pistol to me as we departed the aircraft.

A similar procedure was followed on the civilian charter from Honolulu to Okinawa. Times have changed.

[weaponeer]

Has anyone her EVER deployed on a commercial aircraft (charter) and hand carried their weapons?

That's the way they do it now. Been watching lots of troops load commercial airliners with their weapons the last few weeks out of Gray Army Airfield, West Fort Hood. They're ready to fight within minutes of leaving the airplane, as soon as they retrieve their ammo from the cargo containers in the belly.

I would share your skepticism if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Back when I was active, we couldn't even carry a pocket knife until we were actually in a war zone. I guess we trust our troops a little more now than we did in the post Viet Nam era. I think there may be a little psy-op involved, also. Seeing those troops with their weapons, body armor, packs, helmets, gloves, googles, makes them look big and powerful. They even scare me! Saddam oughta be getting a little nervous.

[Fixit]

Haven't these people ever heard the saying "loose lips sink ships"?!!?

Ummm, given the fact that the DoD is inviting reporters along on some planes, so that they might share these stories with America, I think your charge of "loose lips" is bit out of touch.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Beautiful story and a great post.

[TankerKC]

Thanks...I guess that is clarified.

[magellan]

Has anyone her EVER deployed on a commercial aircraft (charter) and hand carried their weapons?i>

In short, yes. I have been on military charters where the Air Force Security Police were hand carrying their M16s.

The normal procedure for troops deploying on military airlift is to unload and clear the weapons and hand carry them. My guess is this would also apply to civilian charters if it is in the contract, or if the airline is part of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF).

I'm sure if there was not a specific contract, the FAA rules would apply, which would require the weapons to be put checked.