Why oh Why is it that when things finally heat up around here that crew scheduling chooses THAT time to call for a trip. For weeks, nothing happening, something to type about, blam off to the airport... Oh well, home again, time to wade in, 6 shooter blazin'
Flybonanza,
It had been happening to US airlines fairly regularly (so much so that it stopped being news) where flights were searched, or escorted for what ever reason... But compared against the volume of traffic it is also so insignificant that you had better odds of winning the lottery than having it happen to your flight... But the US airlines probably have a better hookup with the FBI computers that are scanning the watch lists (and interpol) whereas the EU in particular had been resisting that capability... But interestingly it has been the British government that has been requesting the cancelations, and say what you want about the USA, we would have had nothing to say about the flight to Ryahd that was cancelled....
Wryly smiling
Who says the foulup has to be a government one? Don't forget the low paid person taking the airline reservations over the phone! Or the harried agent at the ticket counter typing as fast as she can to make sure the flight gets out on time... There are so many links that can get fouled up in this sort of thing that it just boggles the mind. Its one of the problems I have with the idea of intelligence. There are just so many wild cards out there...
As to the reactions of canceling the flights. I have been against that as well, because it hands a victory to the terrorists. Remember one of their goals is to destroy our way of life. If they paralyze airtravel they have take a small step in that direction. Hell, they may have simply found a way to make a credible threat when they had no intention of actually carrying it out (figured out that we have bugged something and are speaking for the benefit of the microphone).
I would much prefer that they bump everyone they are not worried about and replace em with a soldier... Just picture it, 10-20 guys stand up with little bittie box cutters (assume its an all up attack) and yell "this is a hijacking" Then 325 Soldiers stand up with KayBar knives and say. "Take your best shot!"
Unfortunately not very practical but it would be fun...
There is an interesting problem here. I am not sure that the government would be able to detain you on the plane BEFORE the flight takes off. I am not sure that without probable cause that they could effectively arrest a plane load of people and then sort it out later. After flying while waiting for customs the government has the right to quarantine you, but what about an out bound flight? FLYING LAWYER? JUMP IN HERE!
CHIVILCOY,
If you really want to use a 747 (and for symbolic reasons they would, and guess what a magnate the 380 will be BTW) You kinda have to go to heathrow. Otherwise you might have to make to with a piddly little 767/777/330/757 and that's already been done.... Isn't it passe to copy someone else's work?
GRANDPA.
AGAIN I agree with you. I think I better go lay down...
DANNY,
WRT your travel plans. There will be some killer deals to the USA as a result of this. By the time you would actually have to travel you know darn well they will be on some other flavor of the month... Go for the money...
Cheers
Wino