Flights From Paris to U.S. Cancelled

MSNBC | December 24, 2003

[cyncooper]

MSNBC just announced that three flights from Paris to the U.S. have been suddenly cancelled due to "security concerns". The first flight was scheduled to depart Paris heading for Los Angeles.

I could not find an article yet.

[fourhorsemen]

I believe one of the flights is Air France #068, Departing at 1:35 PM CET (7:35 AM EST), arriving at 4:05 PM PST (1:05 PM EST).

Flight is listed at Cancelled on the Air France web site.

[blam]

"My sympathy to the Americans who are now stuck in France..."

My son should be in the air now on a flight from LA to Atlanta.

[Mike Darancette]

I worry that they have detected some of those al'Queda pilots working for Air France.

[RandallFlagg]

Iraq is gonna have worse than Saddam in the near future, unfortunately. Like I said, this was a war planned by social-engineering Democrats, and social engineering doesn't work in America, Iraq, or anywhere else (including France).

Aircraft carriers don't seem to work too well in FranXXXXXX

Nevermind...

[Spok]

msnbc was saying that state and the white house had been in touch earlier today with the french govt concerning being more vigilant.

You mean counting headscarves isn't enough?

[WestCoastGal]

Only reason given so far is that the US Embassy in Paris contacted Air France and I would imagine the French government re: cancellation of these flights today and tomorrow. Embassy was contacted by Fox News but they would not comment.

I remember one news article saying that among all the terror chatter and informants etc we even had flight numbers of planes that AQ was interested in. I can't remember where I saw that.

[jempet]

"You've been all over this thread, insinuating that all those disgusted by the French are stupid, yet you misspell a simple little word like impotent."

LOL. Thanks for making me laugh. That was pretty good.

[CWOJackson]

I will never, never, never repeat it.

Merry Christmas.

[eosuser]

CNN reports AirFrance Flights #68, 70 & 382 were canceled

68 was to arrive in LAX 4:05pm, 70 - 9:30pm and 382 1:25pm in Cincinatti and then on to LAX. All times local and according to http://www.airfrance.us/

[Not A Snowbird]

I have to question why, exactly, after TWO YEARS, this is all of a sudden a big concern - planes arriving from outside the US. It doesn't make sense.

Sure it does. We have better intel sources now, and we're probably paying more attention to certain things now that we've been burned.

[tort_feasor]

ROFLMAO!!!!!!

[RabidBartender]

I forgot about the "you missed a great opportunity to shut up" comment France directed at the smaller countries - France is the bully of the EU.

[mountaineer]

It's now six flights:

Updated: 2:19 p.m. ET Dec. 24, 2003Amid intensive discussions between U.S. and French officials, six Paris-to-Los Angeles flights were canceled Wednesday because of security concerns, French and U.S. officials said Wednesday.

Air France canceled three of the flights at the request of U.S. officials, while three other flights were canceled by other carriers, NBC's Nancy Ing reported from Paris.

A senior Homeland Security official told NBC News on condition of anonymity that Secretary Tom Ridge and other top officials from various agencies were consulting with their French counterparts. A senior State Department official said the State Department was also consulting with the French ambassador and that Secretary of State Colin Powell had spoken personally with French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin to discuss airline security, including specific flights.

A senior U.S. official told NBC's Robert Windrem that the United States had uncovered "plausible" intelligence that several flights originating in Paris would be the targets of terrorists, including the three Air France flights that were canceled. The official described the intelligence as "fairly specific. ... We do not take it for lock-solid, no-doubt intelligence, but instead I would call it plausible. It's the sort of intelligence that matches up with other stuff we received."

Some of the intelligence was "date-specific, some route-specific. ... There are other flights and routes," he said, adding without elaboration that Air France was not the only airline discussed in the reports. full story, MSNBC.

[CindyDawg]

HMM. I saw someone post that there was a 5:1 chance of a problem in Ohio found in a bible code. I was going to post back and ask about God giving odds but the AM was too fast :')

[Sunsong]

"But disgusted by silly anti-French attitudes toward one of our most important allies, historically and today."

Perhaps you could actually consider someone else's opinion. This conservative, American site is the perfect place for conservative Americans to rant againt France, or any country that has done us harm. France has done us harm. There is no disputing that. France is not "one of our most important allies". That is just not true. France wants to be one of the "big boys" and thinks that by being anti-American they can have a place at the "big boy" table. It is just a dirty rotten manipulation.

France needs to grow up, imo.

[Principled]

You ain't from these parts. You talk funny, using mixed metaphors and all.

...you spyin' on us?

[sissyjane]

Isn't it already in the air then?

Or is that for tomorrow morning?

[cyncooper]

CNN just repeated that one of these flights was supposed to land first in Cincinnati before going on to LAX.

[WestCoastGal]

"I believe one of the flights is Air France #068, Departing at 1:35 PM CET (7:35 AM EST), arriving at 4:05 PM PST (1:05 PM EST). Flight is listed at Cancelled on the Air France web site"

Yes that is one that they mentioned on Fox, the other was supposed to arrive later today and the last one is Air Tahiti from Paris to LA to Tahiti which means it would be refueling here.

[Raebie]

So Debka's not *always* wrong...