Honolulu-Bound Flight Diverted After Crew Discovers Box Cutter

The Associated Press ^ | AP-ES-09-30-01 2214EDT | The Associated Press

[TheOtherOne]

Honolulu-Bound Flight Diverted After Crew Discovers Box Cutter
The Associated Press
Published: Sep 30, 2001

LOS ANGELES (AP) - An American Airlines pilot made an unscheduled landing Sunday after crew members found a box cutter left on the plane by a catering employee.

Flight attendants found the box cutter in a food cart about 90 minutes after the plane departed from Dallas, said American Airlines spokesman John Hotard.

The captain decided to land the Honolulu-bound plane, carrying 220 people, in Los Angeles so every passenger could be screened again. About 3 1/4 hours later, the plane resumed its trip to Hawaii, said airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles.

The box cutter was imprinted with the name of the airline's caterer, Sky Chef. Airline officials called the company, and an employee said he had inadvertently left the knife on the cart.

"There's no big deal here," Hotard said. "It's just a guy who forgot his box cutter."

The terrorists who hijacked airplanes Sept. 11 apparently used box cutters and other small blades in their carryon baggage to take control of the jets.

AP-ES-09-30-01 2214EDT

[holyscroller]

I just worked at the polls with a gal who is a dispatcher for one of the companies that delivers lost luggage. She said they're spending all their efforts "upstairs" at the terminals, and they should be concentrating "downstairs." She said all but 3 of the employees at her company were Arabs except for 3 Somalis, and all are related - bothers, fathers, uncles, cousins. (These are the guys who run around from airline to airline picking up lost luggage.) I asked if they could also bring stuff IN to the bowels of the airport, and she said "easily." She also said all the baggage handlers are also Arab, also food service deliverers. I also if she would please call the FBI and tell them this... just in case they don't already know.

[Mulder]

Paranoia and fear abound. If a freakin' box cutter is enough to cause a airline to land one of there planes, then it's no wonder the terrorists think they can defeat us.

If the pilots had been carrying guns, this would not have been an incident. The plane would have continued en route to Hawaii, and the feds could have done their questioning there.

[SpaceBar]

The United States is at war. Nuff said.

[sneakypete]

Under what rock has this American Airlines employee been hiding for the last twenty days? Not only is this remark insensitive it shows a complete disdain for the heightened state of alert that we all find ourselves this last few weeks.

No,he's right. Why the hell is everybody having a bleeping hissy-fit over a damn box cutter? It's not a science fiction death ray,and it's not even easy to kill somebody with one. No way in hell is a guy with a box cutter able to hold people hostage who don't want to be held hostage.

[umgud]

No more carry-on luggage, purses, wallets, ah shoot..lets all board naked.

[zeugma]

Amen Mulder. I'm sickened by this. Are we now a nation of weenies?

[Rome2000]

I actually witnessed a box cutter attack on the A train a couple of years ago. A kid made the mistake of responding to a group of "youths" taunts.

A box cutter was produced, and the unfortunate kid wound up with 4 lips instead of 2 in about 3 seconds.

Thank god for plastic surgery.

Aside from that, a box cutter wouldn't put a dent in 20 or 30 PO'D passengers.

[abner]

Are we now a nation of weenies?

No, half weenies.

[zeugma]

Exactly! The rules of the game are forever changed. Hijacking airplanes is simply not possible in today's climate without a cabin full of people who are complete and utter cretins. If that's what this country has come to, we don't deserve to be saved.

[B Knotts]

In addition to the obvious idiocy of diverting a flight because someone left a box cutter on the airplane (hint: no one will ever successfully hijack an airliner with a box cutter for the next 20 years, at least), this also points out how stupid the banning of nail clippers and plastic knives is.

We don't even know that the hijackers brought their "weapons" through security. It is entirely possible that their box cutters were placed onboard through this very channel (caterers).

But, all this crap is just for show, anyhow. Don't think we don't know that. If they were serious about stopping terrorists, they'd let the pilots arm themselves and they'd let CCW holders carry onboard with frangible ammo.

[dr_who]

Reminds me of an episode of "Spitting Image" where suddenly everyone thinks that nukes are about to be dropped on the country. The Tina Turner character jumps up and says "We can awll make luvvv!"

[abner]

Aside from that, a box cutter wouldn't put a dent in 20 or 30 PO'D passengers.

I'm not trying to diminish what a box cutter can do. I darned near cut of my finger a couple of years ago with an exacto knife. But, its that numbers thing, 30- 220 passengers against a guy or a few guys with box cutters is ridiculous.

[earplug]

He is stating the truth. Just a box cutter. Its our FAA that is getting flustered. You might check out the boycott thread, that condems the FAA and airlines for treating us as sheep. I'm not insensitive, I'm alive and thinking.

[Revel]

"No way in hell is a guy with a box cutter able to hold people hostage who don't want to be held hostage. "

Exactly. If the terrorists on the planes that were crashed into buildings or even the one in PA....I the passenger had stopped them at the first sign of trouble then none of this would have ever happened. Of course the passengers had no way of knowing that the hijacker's had already sealed there fate. Those on the PA figured that out while talking on the phone and that was the end of there passiveness. This scheme would be a whole lot more difficult for a terrorist to implement from that day forward.

[dr_who]

...Half weenies, and at 50 cents for a half weeny. Not ten cents for a full weeny like back in the good old days. And nowadays mustard and relish are extra.

[skr]

I think the stewardess should have just went to the front of the plane and said over the P.A. system,"Excuse me,has anyone misplaced their boxcutter?"

Wonder what the passengers' reaction would've been? Would've gotten my arenaline going!

[Mulder]

But, its that numbers thing, 30- 220 passengers against a guy or a few guys with box cutters is ridiculous.

In theory, yes.

But in reality, most people will probably just sit there since that is what they have been conditioned to do, thanks to the feminization of America. People are taught to "not take the law into their own hands", "call 911", "wait for the police", and "violence is bad"

The sudden and grotesque acts of violence committed by terrorists will paralyze most people, if they do not have a warrior mentality. By "warrior mentality", I mean being alert, aware of surroundings, calm under pressure, and mentally prepared beforehand to take violently aggressive action against the terrorists.

This irrational fear of inanimate objects like box cutters and fingernail clippers are indicitive of the fact that most Americans still lack the warrior mentality.

Of course, laws against Americans defending themselves don't help the matter at all.

So, yes, for the most part we are a nation of wimps.

[abner]

Lets not forget the everpresent fear of lawsuits by the criminal or his family that sues if they survive.

[NYC GOP Chick]

If the pilots had been carrying guns, this would not have been an incident.

Better than that, I think the flight attendants should be armed. That way, the pilots can concentrate on flying. :-D

[vikingchick]

If I could have a gun strapped to my hip, I might fly the friendly skies as a stew. "Hey you....get back to your seat, pronto!" :)