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?
Okay, I thought your first post was kind of a slapdown. I will take it in the better spirit in which it was given. :)
Wow! That sounds like the ultimate Traveler's Nightmare.
This is going to put people off flying for awhile, except for those who have already made their vacation plans and paid upfront.
Glad your friends finally got home safely!
Excellent! And I'll join you for that reason.
This new bomb formula of theirs is quite sophisticated compared to the old box cutters. It cannot be practical to defend against. We cannot dance to the terrorists' tune every time an alarm is sounded.
We must aggressively do as Perseus did and cut the head of Medusa off - In this case, several Medusa heads with their tentacles that are reaching into every corner of the world.
We could nuke Mecca and Medina. Vaporize the Kabaah.
If Allah doesn't protect his own, why bother following him?
I don't think it is about being politically correct. It is about controlling people and having them willingly comply. "Political Correctness" is all about manipulation and control. There has been a very effective campaign to train the masses, so that there is a Pavlovian response to those two words. When we hear, "That's not politically correct." Most actually, apologize and rephrase, or alter their behavior. Just like when our old friend Pavlov rang that bell and the dogs salivated.
Thanks, Freedom Calls. I was going to do that--try to enlighten Churchill Buff-- but it is usually an exercise in futility.
Baby Bop makes Schumer sound like a whining sissy.
I like the way you think.
Sometimes I wish we could bring Harry Truman back from the dead to be our President.
I have been thinking about this too for the last couple of days. Every time they do something, the restrictions become greater on the rest of us; air travel is going to get to the point where it is so burdensome and uncomfortable, not to mention costly as a result of all the anti-terrorist procedures and personnel, that I think many people are simply going to quit traveling unless they really have to do so. Why should we be cheated out of simple pleasures like going on a vacation in some destination that requires flying because a world-wide nut cult is out to get everyone who doesn't belong to it?
I'm not objecting to the precautions and I know we have to have them in place for now. But you are absolutely right; the only way to put an end to this is to get rid of the source of it. How we will do that, I don't know, but it has to be done.
Not sure if your question has been answered, as I am just skimming some threads, but I know on our Intl flights from Houston, they were letting people take paperback books, wallets, passports, a few small things like that in clear plastic bags, which you show as you board, so they can see what is in there.
That was the first day, but it might speed things up if people keep on doing it.
Hope that might help.
Yes, not to mention the regular rocket attacks and bombings in their streets and cafes. I guess flying restrictions, compared to that, are a fairly minor annoyance.
I have been checking Air France website but they are giving no new info about restrictions. I know of two daily flights they make into IAH (Houston) direct from Paris. Have you heard anything?
Was this after was back stateside or still in London?
Not that it makes any difference, just curious.
Glad he made it back safely.
Churchill Buff is no longer with us.
Thanks for the good news.
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