Posted on 08/12/2006 10:37:34 AM PDT by doug from upland
A friend and his family just returned from London. It took them three days. When I have time, I'll tell a longer story. After 40 hours with almost no sleep, he was only up to giving me a few tidbits.
- He, his wife, and three sons were trapped in some kind of a tunnelway near the boarding area. He says there were thousands of people stuck with him.
- they were there for 5 hours without access to food or drinks. It was essentially unventilated and people were throwing up. People were complaining and screaming, and kids were crying. They had no idea what was going on.
- a little later they finally got some word of the terrorist threat. They saw people with automatic weapons and TV cameras storming the airport.
- I don't know if he said it was Gatwick or in Newark, but some employees couldn't handle it and walked off the job
- in Newark, people went behind the counter and actually were checking in their own luggage. When autorities showed up, they shut that down, told people it was a federal crime, and ordered baggage removed from many flights.
I guess Michael Moore saying, "There is no terrorist threat" doesn't apply now. Ya think?
they were there for 5 hours without access to food or drinks. It was essentially unventilated and people were throwing up.
Sounds like Lebanon right now with all the main roads bombed, so people can't get out, electricity's off and medical responders - and food deliverers - can't get in.
Oh my. Good timing for her.
Makes me glad I made my overseas trip to the UK in May. Just saw my oldest son and his girlfriend off on a Delta flight from Albany, NY to Munich via Atlanta this morning. All appeared normal and security was moving right along. Not sure what it will be like at Atlanta though.
five whole hours without food or drink, FIVE!
Well, I guess you are just going to have to create your own thread and tell us about the story. Call it -- DFU IS CLUELESS: NOW THIS IS A REAL HORROR STORY
It all still has to go through the X ray and possibly be looked at by screeners. The only thing missed would be the silly questions that any miscreant would answer no to anyhow. I'd bet the people doing it were off duty airline personnel, as nobody else would know how to work the machines that issue the claim tickets.
This PC stuff is going to have to stop
Now we can't bring MP3 players and liquids or gells on planes.
Next will be full body cavity searches.
Enough
We will not be able to have everyone undergo a full body cavity search.
We will have to start singling out Muslim people flying.
If that doesn't work then I suggest putting a picture of the Koran on the floor at the terminal.
If you can walk over it you can get on the plane.
The El Al approach with everyone being interviewed about their travel has great merit. It seems that virtually all ROPnicks bent on mischief give a phoney or suspicious sounding story. You can take Bob out of Baghdad but you can't take the Baghdad Bob out of Mohammed.
Yeah, I wasn't shocked either. People go 5 hours without drinking or eating sometimes. We all skip meals. I realize they were uncomfortable but they are mad at the wrong people. If we could ask any of the one's on planes that died in 911 if they had to do it over again, would they mind the waits and hunger, I wonder what they would say? This guy had a choice. I would have grabbed my kids and said, "forget this. I'll come back later. Maybe"
Boy did Shep and Geraldo miss the chance of a lifetime or what?
Seriesly, it must have been hell and quite a story to tell their grandkids one day. However, it could have had a far worse ending for your friend and family and glad they are here to tell you their story.
I could do with a grand old Dennis Miller rant right now on the British terrorists and Hezbollah!
To: All
This PC stuff is going to have to stop
Now we can't bring MP3 players and liquids or gells on planes.
Next will be full body cavity searches.
Enough
I agree. We just can't live like this- everyone herded like animals and treated like criminals. It will be a VERY long time before I put myself through the ordeal of flying again. What really makes me laugh is all the people that are more than happy to put up with all this 'in the name of safety'. Not being able to bring anything to drink or for entertainment for yourself or your kids on who-knows-how many hours long flight? Give me a break. All this when they have cut back in-flight service/hospitality to basically zero on top of it all? You're lucky to get a dixie-cup full of water and a handful of pretzels on a flight, and now you can't even bring your own? Now they'll have you throw out your water before you board and charge you $5 for a bottle in flight. It's out of hand entirely. What's next- you can't have liquids on the street, ona bus or the subway? It's not far-fetched at all to think that's next. And people will smile and say it's fine as long as it's for safety!
its really bad...
unfortunately, I believe it will only get worse.
These crazed muslims are obsessed with getting us.
Eventually, someone is going to get a nuke and set it
off- its just a matter of time. And who would we nuke
back? Many of the london terrorists were born in Britain, one was even white. There is no one 'country'- it is the idea of Islam that we are fighting.
I feel kind of sad to say that we should enjoy even
the current time period such as this, because one day we
will be looking back on it as a bygone age when we were
(relatively) happy and safe.
Sounds like a great way to see European airports. Rent a car or take the train. Or at least avoid the major legacy carrier hubs.
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