AF-1 at Teeside
 

For some reason I couldn't open the earlier post so I have no idea what people were saying. Just to confirm though that both Presidential 747's came to Teeside. Both 28000 and 29000 were there. This is standard proceedure on foreign trips because of the communications and anti-missile gear these aircraft carry. If one goes 'technical' it is just not an option to put POTUS on something else so they bring them both just in case.
PS - the food on-board is terrible.

Are there any photos on the net of the aircraft at Teeside?

Before anyone corrects my mistake I realise that it is Teesside and not Teeside. Sorry to all who may be upset.

The "terrible food":

"The attendants began taking food trays up to the front of the plane, and asked the journalists if they wanted to eat. The trays had liners that said, "Welcome Aboard Air Force One." The tray contained a little glass pepper shaker and matching salt shaker; a crimson cloth napkin with a paper napkin ring with the Presidential seal in gold; a butter pat in a Land O Lakes wrapper; a china plate with two pieces of fried chicken, a scoop of potato salad, a small corn cob; a roll; a china plate with apple pie; and a glass, embossed with the Presidential seal, of lemonade. It is often noted that Air Force One is one of the few planes where you get a real knife. The beverage napkins are white with a light-blue Presidential seal and the words, with quotes around them on the napkin, "Aboard the Presidential Aircraf t." "

The complete story of the trip on AF1 to Baghdad is here:

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashbb.htm

Drudger report, very apt!
One interesting sentence condensed into 1000 paragraphs.....

The report says they landed in Baghdad in darkness at 9:31am.

Didn't they lift their blinds???:D

On the real knife point, interestingly flew CX SIN - HK and they had real cutlery....but plastic on the HK - LHR sector

It seems to be only the US and the UK that have yet to recover from the irrational fear of blunt cutlery. The rest of the world has moved on, thankfully.

Unfortunately, Canada has yet to recover from the security insanity of post-911. I'm all for being safe, but if the cutlery is that serious, why aren't we confiscating every pen coming on board? Now that would go over well!