Somali arrested in Nov with powder chemicals, syringe

Hello All BlkAv8tor2003 Checking In!!!

Ok, explain this one to me because I'm lost. We have had a couple of recent incidents where terrorist attempts were made on U.S. airliners and were unsuccessful. Now today they news agencies are reporting that there was another incident on Nov 13, 2009 and the report is hitting the wires as of today! WTH is that all about??? Tell us what we need to know and when we need to know it??? The incident in Detroit we were made aware of it within hours of it happening. So why are the international news agencies from other countries just now releasing this information.

Are the incidents tied together some how? Are these just test runs to see how the U.S. reacts and what happens and then the suspect is eventually released so that they may report back to the original organizers what they went through???

We need to be more proactive and not so reactive when it comes to national security!!!

Read the story below as reported.

As always, Have a great holiday travel season, be prepared and always remember to be ahead of the game and the other players.

So be Proactive And Not Reactive and enjoy your flight!!!

BlkAv8tor2003

By Associated Press
Wednesday, December 30, 2009

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Officials say a Somali national tried to board a commercial airliner in Mogadishu last month with powdered chemicals, liquid and a syringe that together could have caused an explosion. The hallmarks bear chilling similarities to the terrorist plot to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner.

Police spokesman Abdulahi Hassan Barise says the suspect was arrested before the Nov. 13 Daallo Airlines flight departed. The Somali man -- whose name has not yet been released -- was arrested by African Union peacekeeping troops.

It was scheduled to travel from Mogadishu to the northern Somali city of Hargeisa, then to Djibouti and Dubai.

Two international officials in Nairobi said Wednesday the incident is similar to the Detroit attack in that the Somali man had a syringe, a bag of powdered chemicals and liquid. U.S. officials are aware of the incident and hastening to investigate any possible links with the Detroit attack.

http://www.startribune.com/world/80334377.html?elr=KArks:DCiUBcy7hUiacyKU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUs

Most carry-on bags banned on flights to U.S.

U.S.-bound air travellers were forced to stow all but the bare essentials in their checked luggage Monday as Transport Canada issued a new ban on almost all carryon luggage.

The prohibition is intended to get planes running on schedule after time-consuming new security measures introduced on Saturday caused lineups, delays and cancellations across North America, spokesman Patrick Charette said.
RCMP officers also were called in to help implement the new measures, which include hand-searches of all carry-on luggage and physical pat-downs before boarding.

"We are asking travellers to please limit the items you are bringing on," Charette said. "We are doing what we can to facilitate the normal flow of passengers."
The complete ban on carry-on luggage is expected to be in effect until 7 p.m. tonight. Both Air Canada and WestJet are temporarily waiving fees for extra bags.

Transport Canada issued a list of 13 items that are exempt from the new policy.

Passengers can still carry-on small purses, coats, laptops, cameras, musical instruments and baby-care supplies. Medication, crutches, canes, walkers, medical devices, special needs items and containers carrying life sustaining items are also exempt.
"Technically, if it is not on the list, it is not allowed," Charette said.
However, he said security personnel can exercise discretion at the gate.

Edmonton International Airport spokeswoman Donna Call said the new rules mean all backpacks and rolling suitcases must be checked. Books, magazines and even children's toys must also be checked, she said. Finally, even exempt items will be limited, which means that a single passenger cannot carry-on a purse, a coat, a laptop and a diaper bag. Rolling carry-ons or bags larger than small purses or laptop sleeves will not be allowed. However, small electronic devices such as iPods and portable DVD players will be allowed on board, Call said, and passengers are free to purchase books, magazines, snacks and water once they are through security.

"The incident on Dec. 25 has risen the security alert to an extreme level and that has led to this direction," she said.
Around noon on Christmas Day, 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab allegedly tried to blow up a Detroit-bound plane as it descended into Detroit Metro Airport with 278 passengers aboard.

The man was tackled by passengers, foiling what officials called an attempted terror attack.
Hours later, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority rolled out strict new security measures, including individual pat-downs before boarding.

First class pain: Unruly Ivana Trump booted off a flight at Palm Beach International

BY JOSE LAMBIET
The Palm Beach Post
Ivana TrumpPalm Beach jet-setter Ivana Trump, whom you’d think would fly private, was booted off a commercial flight departing Palm Beach International Airport this afternoon.

Trump, 60, a former wife of TV star and developer Donald Trump, was not charged with a crime but was escorted off the first-class cabin of Delta flight 2377 to New York City’s LaGuardia Airport and to her waiting chauffeur.

The way a spokeswoman with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office puts it, the departing jet’s pilot called deputies about 2:30 p.m. because of a foul-mouthed and unruly passenger in seat 1C, in first class.
When the lawmen arrived, they discovered the abusive passenger was the well-known socialite. They described her as “belligerent” and “aggravating.”

According to PBSO, Trump first was unhappy about her seat. Flight attendants offered her another, and headphones, to calm her down. But then Trump became more frustrated when children started running up and down the aisle while screaming.

You won’t believe the language Trump used. Look below or click
As the plane started to taxi out, an agitated Trump started calling the kids “little fu…..” and telling passengers around her “f*@& you!”
“She was so belligerent toward other passengers and crew that the plane returned to the terminal,” said Teri Barbera, the PBSO spokeswoman.

Trump first refused the deputies’ orders to exit the aircraft. She finally relented after Delta staff offered her to fly at a later date.
“From initial contact until Ms. Trump left the property, she was saying “f&%$ you” to all the deputies,” Barbera’s statement read.

FBI was contacted but didn’t pursue the matter. The ordeal caused a two-hour delay for Trump’s fellow passengers.
The incident comes as airports throughout the world are tightening security measures after an alleged terrorist tried to set off a bomb on a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day near Detroit.

Trump, meanwhile, hasn’t had the greatest time lately. Her 20-month marriage to the much younger Rossano Rubicondi, 37, is running out of steam. Rubicondi, Trump’s fourth husband, has been spreading his love all over Europe while Trump spent the holiday alone in her Palm Beach mansion. She filed for the divorce earlier this month.

Trump couldn’t be contacted and her publicist, Catherine Saxton, didn’t return calls.

Accident: American B738 at Kingston on Dec 22nd 2009, overran runway on landing

The tail separated (Photo: AP/Lloyd Robinson)

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Dec 23rd 2009 08:21Z, last updated Wednesday, Dec 23rd 2009 14:41Z
http://avherald.com/h?article=424a11b1&opt=0

An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N977AN performing flight AA-331 from Miami,FL (USA) to Kingston (Jamaica) KMIA MKJP with 148 passengers and 6 crew, overran Kingston's runway 12 while landing in heavy rain and poor visibility at 10:22pm local time (03:22Z Dec 23rd). The passengers were evacuated. 44 passengers were taken to local hospitals, 4 of them received serious injuries. The airplane received substantial damage.

American Airlines confirmed the overrun and reported, that no critical injuries occured. The airplane received substantial damages, the fuselage cracked, the right hand engine was torn off and the main gear collapsed.

"The care of our passengers and crew members is our highest priority, and we will offer all the assistance necessary," said Gerard Arpey, the airline's chairman and chief executive officer. Passengers reported, that the flight had been turbulent forcing the beverage service to be cancelled. The cockpit crew warned of more turbulence just prior to landing.

After touch down the airplane appeared to bounce and started to skid after the second touch down. Baggage fell down from the overhead lockers. After the airplane came to a stand still, cabin crew opened the emergency exits. The airplane came to a stand still about 3 meters short of the Caribbean Sea.

American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N977AN (Actual Aircraft) www.jetphotos.net

Airport officials reported, that the airplane overran the runway, broke through the perimeter fence, travelled across a road and came to a stop at the beach. 44 passengers were taken to local hospitals, 4 of them received serious injuries. Newest reports indicate, that both engines were torn off the airframe.

The flight originated from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA)in the Washington, D.C., area before landing in Miami (KMIA) and then heading to Jamaica, the airline said.
A Radio Jamaica reporter, Kirk Abraham, said it had been raining in the area when the plane failed to stop and ran into the fence past the end of the runway.

American Airlines Information

Anyone who believes they have family members or friends aboard Flight 331 may contact American Airlines at the following toll-free numbers: (800) 245-0999 for calls originating in the United States; (800) 872-2881 for calls originating in Jamaica. Family members from other locations outside the U.S. may contact American through the AT&T Direct Access system. Callers should dial the local AT&T Access telephone number, which can be found at www.usa.att.com/traveler, for the country from which they are calling.

Once in the AT&T system, callers can then dial American toll-free at (800) 245-0999. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin islands can call the (800) 245-0999 number directly. Non-family members are asked not to call those numbers so the lines can be kept available for those who truly need them.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL331/history/20091223/0039Z/KMIA/MKJP

Weather as reported from airport control tower before time of accident.

Metars:

MKJP 230430Z 34011KT 44000 RA BKN014 FEW016CB BKN100 21/13 Q1013 RESHRA

MKJP 230400Z 32014KT 11500 +SHRA BKN014 FEW016CB SCT028 BKN090 21/18 Q1013 RERA

MKJP 230325Z 32011KT 22000 +SHRA BKN014 FEW016CB SCT030 BKN100 21/19 Q1014 RETSRA

MKJP 230300Z 32008KT 3000 +SHRA BKN014 FEW016CB SCT030 BKN100 21/20 Q1014 RETSRA

MKJP 230228Z 31009KT 5000 TSRA BKN014 FEW016CB SCT030 BKN100 22/19 Q1013

MKJP 230200Z 30012KT 5000 SHRA BKN014 SCT030 BKN100 22/20 Q1013 RERA

MKJP 230100Z 040033KT 5000 SHRA BKN016 SCT030 BKN100 23/20 Q1013 RERA

Alaska Airlines introduces ''Spirit Of Disneyland II'' to Portland

Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737-900

PORTLAND, Ore. — Mickey Mouse's faithful friend Pluto is joining the cast of Disney characters now soaring on a specially-themed Alaska Airlines jet.

Alaska Airlines this morning introduced its "Spirit of Disneyland II" aircraft at Portland International Airport. The plane is adorned with the faces of Disney's most recognized characters – Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and, for the first time, Pluto. The new design replaces a previous Disney-themed aircraft retired two weeks ago. Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737-900 aircraft made its inaugural flight from Portland to Los Angeles International Airport carrying three Make-A-Wish® children on their way to the Disneyland Resort to have their wishes granted.

"We're honored to have our Disney and Make-A-Wish partners join us to debut Alaska's fourth Disney-themed aircraft," said Alaska Airlines' President Brad Tilden. "For the next seven years these five characters will serve as an iconic vehicle to bring customers across our network to the ‘Happiest Place on Earth' and other Alaska Airlines destinations."

The "Spirit of Disneyland II" aircraft was welcomed at the gate by the three children and their families, as well as Mickey Mouse, Pluto and leaders from Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oregon, Disneyland Resorts and Alaska Airlines, as travelers looked on from the terminal.

"When a child with a life-threatening medical condition wishes to meet a Disney character or visit a Disney park, we know that Alaska Airlines and Disneyland Resort are there to make it a dream-come-true," said Andrew Asato, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon executive director. "With donated tickets and passes, as well as extra-special treatment for wish families, these partners have each provided an unduplicated resource to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for more than 20 years."

The special children on board, who live in Oregon and Washington and range in age from 3 to 5 years, will spend the next five days at the Disneyland Resort along with their families. During their visit, they will be treated to special activities, a meal with characters and a four-night stay at the Paradise Pier Hotel at the Disneyland Resort.

"Thanks to the larger size of this aircraft, we are thrilled to have Mickey's faithful companion Pluto join the cast of Disney characters on this special plane," said Lisa Becket, Disneyland Resort vice president of regional marketing strategies. "We're grateful to Alaska Airlines for giving our Disney characters a ‘one-of-a-kind' opportunity to spread their magic across the sky."

Source: Alaska Air
Posted by: just4airlines.com at 0136h UTC Dec 19, 2009

Gov't imposes 3-hour limit on tarmac strandings

Crews work to clear snow from the tarmac at Logan International Airport, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009, in Boston.
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091221/ap_on_bi_ge/us_tarmac_strandings

WASHINGTON – The Transportation Department, responding to tarmac horror stories, orders airlines on Monday to let passengers stuck in stranded airplanes to deplane after three hours.
With its new regulations, the Obama administration is sending an unequivocal message to airlines that it won't tolerate the delays experienced by some passengers, such as an overnight ordeal in Rochester, Minn., last summer.

Under the new regulations, airlines operating domestic flights will be able only to keep passengers on board for three hours before they must be allowed to disembark a delayed flight. The regulation provides exceptions only for safety or security or if air traffic control advises the pilot in command that returning to the terminal would disrupt airport operations.
U.S. carriers operating international flights departing from or arriving in the United States must specify, in advance, their own time limits for deplaning passengers.

Airlines will be required to provide food and water for passengers within two hours of a plane being delayed on a tarmac, and to maintain operable lavatories. They must also provide passengers with medical attention when necessary.
From January to June this year, 613 planes were delayed on tarmacs for more than three hours, their passengers kept on board.

Airlines will also be prohibited from scheduling chronically delayed flights. Carriers who fail to comply could face government enforcement action for using unfair or deceptive trade practices.
The new regulations, which were published Monday in the Federal Register, go into effect in 120 days.

"Airline passengers have rights, and these new rules will require airlines to live up to their obligation to treat their customers fairly," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.
Airlines have strongly opposed a hard time limit on tarmac strandings. They say forcing planes to return to gates so that passengers can get off could cause more problems than it cures. They predict more flights will be canceled, further delaying passengers from reaching their destinations.

Last month, the department fined Continental Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines and Mesaba Airlines $175,000 for their roles in a nearly six-hour tarmac delay in Rochester, Minn. On Aug. 8, Continental Express Flight 2816 en route to Minneapolis was diverted to Rochester due to thunderstorms. Forty-seven passengers were kept overnight in a cramped plane amid crying babies and a smelly toilet because Mesaba employees refused to open a gate so that they could enter the closed airport terminal.

The case marked the first time the department had fined an airline for actions involving a tarmac delay. Transportation officials made clear the case was a warning to the industry.
Consumer advocates have been pressing the department and Congress for at least a decade to do something extended tarmac delays. However, past efforts to address the problem have fizzled in the face of industry opposition and promises to reform.

Boeing Dreamliner Ready For Maiden Flight

Boeing CEO Jim Albaugh on the 787: " It's going to change the way people travel." It's set to take its first test flight Tuesday.

Everett, Washington (CNN) -- There are flight delays and then there's Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.
Fighting its way through more than two years of delays, Boeing's latest aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, is scheduled to take its maiden flight Tuesday.
"We think it's a game changer because it provides so much value to the customer," Jim Albaugh, Boeing executive vice president and CEO, said in a CNN interview. "We think this is going to be a very efficient airplane. It's going to change the way people travel."
Despite the delays, Boeing's first new commercial airliner in over a decade will still be relevant, Albaugh said Monday.

"It's more environmentally friendly, it's more efficient, uses less fuel, it's going to cost the operator less to fly, it's going to allow the passengers to pay less and feel better when they land."
Boeing's claims of the Dreamliner's much-touted efficiency are tied to its design. It's the first major airliner to be made of mostly composite materials. Boeing has staked its reputation on claims that the aircraft's relatively lighter, faster body will save airlines up to 20 percent in fuel costs.

The company also says the new material will hold up better to the wear and tear of flight than traditional aluminum. Boeing says it has orders for more than 850 of the planes, which officially sell for around $150 million each.
Depending on the configuration, the Dreamliner can seat between 200 to 300 passengers and can travel more than 2,500 nautical miles. The target market is carriers traveling point-to-point international routes.

Boeing 787 Takes Flight For The First Time!!!

But despite the promise of a new more efficient airplane, production delays and technical problems have stolen some of the Dreamliner's luster.
Many of the delays and snags in the supply line with the first Dreamliners have been blamed on the army of partners Boeing brought in to help with the construction.
"They did too much outsourcing, too soon, with too little oversight," said Scott Hamilton of the aviation consulting firm Leeham Co. "The customers have been mightily (upset) over the creeping delays."

Albaugh conceded that "in hindsight" the large amount of outsourcing done with the 787 was not the best strategy. "There a few things we might have kept inside, yes."
Even though 787s won't start flying passenger routes until at least 2011, Boeing executives said they hope a successful first flight will at least begin to quell doubts over the future of airplane production at the company.

The test flight "is going to validate the airplane to an extent," Albaugh said. "We've got 10 months of flight tests in front of us. ... There's a lot of work to do."
For Tuesday's scheduled test flight, the Dreamliner will take off from the hangar where it was assembled in Everett, Washington, and undergo a battery of tests during a five-hour flight before landing some 40 miles away at Boeing Field just south of downtown Seattle.
"We are going to shake this airplane out to demonstrate that it can do everything we've advertised it to do," Albaugh said.

Boeing premiered the first 787 at a rollout ceremony on July 8, 2007, which matches the aircraft's designation in the US-style month-day-year format (7/8/07). However, the aircraft's major systems had not been installed at that time, and many parts were attached with temporary non-aerospace fasteners requiring their later replacement with flight fasteners. Boeing had originally planned for a first flight by the end of September 2007, but on September 5 announced a three-month delay, blaming a shortage of fasteners as well as incomplete software.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner First Flight

Another flight disrupted by a group of Muslims

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/17836

(Editor’s Note: Doug Hagmann’s popular site, the Northeast Intelligence Network is currently under transition to another server and will be back online later today.)

It happened again on Wednesday, December 9, 2009, less than a month after the incident aboard AirTran Flight 297. 

United Airlines Flight 227, scheduled to depart Denver International Airport at 1:50 pm Wednesday for Los Angeles was disrupted when several passengers who were described as Middle Eastern in appearance, confirmed by this investigator to be a group of Muslims traveling together, were removed from that aircraft due to suspicious behavior that originated in the terminal and continued to the airplane. Their behavior was consistent in some respects to the behavior of the Muslim passengers aboard AirTran Flight 297 on November 17, 2009 that caused a flurry of controversy over its legitimacy, and the now infamous case of the “Flying Imams” of 2006.

According to information obtained by this investigator, seven men of Middle Eastern appearance, boarded flight 227. Two took their seats in coach, while five took their seats in the first class section of the plane.  At a critical pre-flight point, the individuals appeared to act in concert with one another, changing seats and moving stowed luggage to very specific areas of the aircraft, often having to move the stowed bags of other passengers to do so.  They disobeyed or otherwise ignored the admonitions of the flight attendants to remain seated.

Their behavior was so overt and so apparently choreographed, according to our sources, that the flight crew demanded the passengers be removed from the aircraft. One report found on 9News in Denver quoted John Sloan, a passenger aboard that flight:

“I have never seen flight attendants so scared in my life. Everything turned out OK, but it was not a very good feeling..”

Following the removal of the passengers, officials brought a bomb-sniffing dog aboard the aircraft, focusing of the first class section of the plane. Subsequent to the search that found nothing, the offending passengers were removed from the flight and rebooked on another aircraft to their destination. According to federal officials, no criminal investigation is being launched into this incident, which was described as a “customer service” matter.

Early this morning, this investigator spoke to a law enforcement source in Denver who is intimately familiar with the incident. Many details have not been publicly reported about this incident, although it is clear that there is an agenda at play. Based on information obtained from this source and others relating to the previous flights disrupted by the deliberate behavior of Muslim passengers, it is clear that the airline industry, as well as the sensibilities of normal Americans, is under attack through Islamic ideological jihad. Additional information will be provided once our investigation is complete. 

Southwest CEO: Free Bags = $800 Million

DALLAS (TheStreet) -- Southwest(LUV Quote) says its strategy of eschewing fees for baggage handling and other amenities has boosted revenue by nearly $800 million annually, CEO Gary Kelly said.

Southwest has seen a market share shift of roughly one percentage point in response to its "immensely successful 'bags fly free' advertising campaign, in a time when we are actually reducing our capacity and the domestic market is actually shrinking," Kelly said at an investment conference. With the domestic air travel market worth about $80 billion to $90 billion annually, "a market share shift like that has a very significant positive effect for Southwest," Kelly said. 

Southwest spokeswoman Linda Rutherford noted the carrier's market share gains result not only from the bags fly free campaign, but also from being a low-fare carrier in a recession and from competitors' capacity reductions. Not charging for bags reinforces Southwest's image as a low-fare leader, Kelly has said. 

Other airlines have said that as they implement charges for baggage handling and other services, they have been unable to discern any resultant shift to Southwest. Last month, US Airways(LCC Quote) CEO Doug Parker told reporters in Charlotte that passengers may be avoiding multiple carriers at imperceptible rates, which in combination create a perceptible gain for Southwest. 
Kelly said Southwest expects to be profitable in the fourth quarter.

He said the carrier is benefitting from growth in select markets, including Denver and Saint Louis. However, he said he has seen no improvement in business travel. "I don't think it has gotten worse over the last several months, (but) I am comfortable in telling you it still lags," he said. "I am not expecting a rebound in business travel in 2010." 

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Asking For Orange Juice On American Airlines May Violate Federal Law

Something went very wrong on American Airlines flight 614 from Sacramento to Dallas this Sunday, December 6th. An American Airlines stewardess having an extremely bad day flipped the frak out on a first class passenger for asking for a glass of OJ and gave him a written warning from the captain for, "threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a crewmember." Here's an eyewitness account:

David Koss wrote us, "About 45 minutes into the flight I was awakened by a flight attendant named Helen, screaming at the man sitting in front of my wife. It was so loud, I could hear it over my headphones and the music playing. She was going off about how she didn't care if he was Platinum or Executive Platinum. I found this to be very odd. When she was done screaming, she came over to where my wife was sitting to ask what she wanted to eat. Then she said, "Sorry about that, he was just bitching." First of all, such language shouldn't be used by a flight attendant. Second of all, what business is it of hers to discuss the situation with other passengers?

Since I take the word of the other 5 friends I work with (including my wife) as truth, I will describe the events that led to the outburst. Helen was already having a very bad day. She acted upset to be working this job, which in this economy she should be grateful for, and was irritated at everyone. All my friends could tell that she was pissed. She was pissed that she was there, that people were blocking aisles while she was serving meals, and that they were getting up to use the restroom. She violently slid my friend's breakfast onto his tray, nearly spilling everything and then headed to the man in front of my wife. He had trouble getting his tray out, and she stood there rolling her eyes at him. When he finally got it out, she dropped the breakfast hard onto the tray.

He asked if he could have some orange juice. This is when it hit the fan. "This must be your first time in first class," she said. He asked what she meant by that. He told her he was actually on the flight that made him Executive Platinum for the 10th year in a row. She said, "You obviously don't know how this works." He told her in a calm voice that she was being very condescending. That's when she blew up on him and woke me up. He started looking the other way and asked her to stop yelling at him. The entire first class section was watching her go nuts.

She went to the front of the plane and disappeared for a while after making the previously mentioned comment to my wife. The man was shocked. He started looking around and asked the rest of us if we just saw what happened. We started talking to him about it, and didn't know why she was acting this way. At one point Helen went into the cockpit to talk to the captain. We all took turns talking to each other, and everyone saw the same thing. Our friend Barth was sitting on the opposite side of the isle, diagonally to the man who asked for orange juice. About an hour after the incident they began having a lengthy discussion.

We all thought there may be police waiting at the gate when we arrived and wanted to let him know we had his back. The flight attendant came out from hiding, walked straight up to Barth, kneeled down and said, "Do you have something you need to say to me?" Barth said, "The two of us are having a private conversation." She got up and walked back to the front. We knew something was terribly wrong with this woman. Now she was confronting other passengers now as well.

He stated that it would be best not to continue this conversation until we were on the ground. The other two flight attendants were as nice as could be. Nicer than usual actually. We were all too wound up to go back to sleep. My wife and I had about three hours of sleep the night before and had a long day ahead, but sleep was out of the question. We were actually nervous to be in the presence of such an unstable individual.

Helen came up to the OJ man, and asked him to come to the front with him. He started to get up, but I yelled at him, along with my other friends not to go up there. If he had a private conversation with her, there would be no witnesses, and she could tell authorities that he said anything she wanted. He stayed put in his seat. She came back to his seat with a written warning she said was from the captain. It stated that he may be in violation of Federal Law for "Threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a crewmember (section 91.11)." She said, "I didn't want to have to do this in front of every one, but here you go." According to the document, he could be put in prison for asking for his orange juice.

The tension in the cabin was mounting. We knew at this point someone would be waiting for us when we arrived. We were ready to give a statement. She called the older man that was in front of OJ man into the front of the plane for a private statement. That man would not have heard a word she said from behind his seat. It was way too noisy. He looked to be in his 70's as well. She came back and asked if anyone else wanted to be a witness. We all said no. We didn't want to say a word to her. She told us that she had witnesses as well. At the end of the flight, she asked us if we wanted anything else. There was no way I was going to eat anything that this woman was serving.

Helen had made our flight miserable. Upon arriving, we were greeted by a representative of the airline. She had been called ahead by the captain to meet us on the jet bridge. She had no idea so many people would be there to report what happened. We went to the gate and all gave a statement about what happened. She had someone else that had more relevance to the situation come down and talk to the man. This man stated that the Feds would probably have to investigate due to this warning being issued. The slips aren't to be given out unless it's a very big deal. We all wished him well and exchanged information. He had another flight to catch, and we were all glad to be on the ground safe.

Our group has about 130 people that fly 30 weeks a year. At an average of $300 per flight, that's over 1 million dollars a year spent. And I've been on the road with these people for nearly 10 years. So this is what we get for over $10 million in sales. If Helen doesn't like people, she should find a job like flipping burgers. That way, she won't have to talk to the customers. This woman's behavior is completely unacceptable and is a perfect example of what I've been seeing in AA flight attendants for years now. They don't want to be there, make up their own rules that don't reflect the company, and have huge disdain for the people paying their salary... the customers.

-Dave Koss"

The real terrorists can be found flying first class, drinking orange juice.

Reached for comment, American Airlines said they will look into the matter.

10 things you might not know about airline culture

By Mark Jacob | Dec 14, 2009

Airline culture is all over the news. The hit movie "Up In the Air" stars George Clooney as a frequent flier. The Transportation Security Administration is under fire for allowing the online posting of airport screening secrets. And the holiday season is upon us, with millions of Americans ready to go airborne. Here are some uplifting facts:

1 A cat flew across the Atlantic Ocean eight years before Charles Lindbergh. The cat, named Wopsie or Whoopsie, was a stowaway aboard the dirigible R34 when it traveled from Scotland to New York in 1919. The cat wasn't the only creature who beat Lindy to a trans-Atlantic flight. More than 80 people also did. But Lindbergh was the first to fly solo.

2 Qantas, the Australian airline, is a former acronym for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services. That name is strange, but others may be stranger. Airline pilot Patrick Smith, who writes a column for salon.com, suggested that two of the worst airline names ever were Russia's Kras Air ("always just an H away from infamy," wrote Smith) and Taiwan's U-Land Airlines ("That's right. U-buy, U-fly and U-Land it yourself.").

3 In 1987, American Airlines removed one olive from each first-class salad for a savings of about $40,000 a year. In a more recent cost-cutting move, American announced in 2004 that it would get rid of pillows on its MD-80 planes for an annual windfall of about $300,000. The next year, Northwest Airlines ditched free pretzels in coach class on its domestic flights, saving $2 million a year.

4 Joseph of Cupertino, a 17th century Italian priest, is a Roman Catholic patron saint of pilots and air passengers. Known as the "flying friar" because of his reported ability to levitate, Joseph annoyed his fellow churchmen, who banned him from attending choir or visiting the refectory for 35 years.

5 National Airlines launched an ad campaign in the early 1970s featuring attractive young flight attendants -- then known as stewardesses -- and slogans such as "I'm Margie. Fly me." A group called Stewardesses for Women's Rights picketed the airline's offices and complained to the Federal Trade Commission about the ads. National was forced to tone down the campaign by including other airline workers. But somehow the idea of "flying" someone like, say, Ralph the baggage handler seemed a bit less alluring.

6 The producers of the 1980 comedy film "Airplane!" considered talk show host David Letterman and singer Barry Manilow for the lead role of washed-up pilot Ted Striker before settling on actor Robert Hays. The co-pilot played by basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was originally written for baseball star Pete Rose. According to the Internet Movie Database, Rose was offered $30,000 but lost the part after asking for $35,000, which he wanted to spend on an Oriental rug.

7 Ten soldiers boarded a plane at California's Fort Hunter Liggett in the early 1960s, expecting a routine training mission. Instead, once they were airborne, the crew announced that an engine had stalled, the landing gear was inoperable and the plane would attempt to ditch in the ocean. Then the crew issued an odd demand: The soldiers would have to fill out insurance forms. After they dutifully did so, the plane landed, safely and routinely. The episode was an Army experiment to measure soldiers' performance under stress. Not surprisingly, a control group on the ground filled out the same insurance forms more accurately.

8 Last December, passengers preparing to take off on an Aeroflot jet from Moscow to New York revolted when the pilot appeared to slur his words over the loudspeaker. Officials of the Russian airline tried to calm them. According to the Moscow Times, an airline official said, "It's not such a big deal if the pilot is drunk. Really, all he has to do is press a button and the plane flies itself." But the passengers stood their ground, and the crew was replaced. The incident was another black eye for Aeroflot, remembered for a 1994 flight in which a pilot let his 15-year-old son take the controls. The boy accidentally disabled the autopilot, sending 75 people to their deaths.

9 When Amelia Earhart helped organize the New York, Philadelphia and Washington Airways in the early years of commercial aviation, the in-flight lunch consisted of hard-boiled eggs and saltine crackers, chosen because they seemed unlikely to contribute to airsickness.

10 A passenger boarded a Chicago-bound plane in Washington, D.C., in 2003 and handed a note to a flight attendant, asking her to take it to the pilot. The note read, "Fast. Neat. Average." The pilot had no idea what it meant and alerted authorities, who detained the passenger for questioning. The note was part of a well-known code at the Air Force Academy, based on cadets' answers on a dining-hall survey. If all had gone well, the passenger's note would have been returned with a note reading "Friendly. Good. Good," and the passenger would have been invited to visit the cockpit. But the pilot was not an Air Force grad, and the passenger missed his flight. As an Air Force spokesman noted, "Obviously, the world has changed since 2001."
Source: chicagotribune.com

Baby Born On Southwest Flight That Lands At DIA

Flight Continues On To Salt Lake After Diversion

DENVER -- A flight heading from Chicago to Salt Lake City was diverted to Denver Friday morning after a baby boy was born mid-flight.

Southwest Airlines Flight 441 was at about 30,000 feet, and 100 miles north of Denver, when the pilot asked if anyone had medical training. A woman had gone into labor and the captain made a call to divert to Denver -- the closest airport, said Paul Flaningan, a Southwest spokesman.

'They announced on the PA and asked if anyone had any blankets,' Morse said. But before the plane could land, the woman gave birth in flight. 'About 15 minutes later they got on the PA and announced we had a new passenger, a baby boy.' 'They immediately turned the plane around mid-flight and we landed in Denver. They got them out, the dad, mom and baby and took them off to the hospital,' Morse explained. 'All the Southwest staff did an excellent job, really calm. Everything was great. Everything seemed really healthy,' he added.

Flight attendants had thrown down a blanket in the back of the 737 and a doctor who was on the flight delivered the baby boy with the help of Stat Med, a company Southwest contracts with to help flight attendants with medical emergencies on flight.

"We now have a new passenger," said a flight attendant on the jet's public address system after the quick delivery.
The plane landed at Denver International Airport at about 10:20 a.m. The mother and her newborn were taken off the plane by paramedics and transported to Medical Center of Aurora, South Campus by ambulance.

The father and the couple's other kids, who were on the flight, also got off the plane in Denver.
"Mom and baby are doing fine," Flaningan said.
"It sounded like everything went pretty regular -- nothing out of the ordinary," said Denver Fire Division Chief Charles McMillan.

"The baby was delivered in flight, so we drove to the hospital," said Denver Health spokeswoman Dee Martinez, referring to the paramedics' role in getting the mom and baby to the hospital. "It's really the people on flight who did everything."

The flight continued on to Salt Lake City.
Flannigan said in-flight births don't happen very often.
"We might have passengers who are further along and have contractions. It's fairly rare to have a baby born in mid-air," Flaningan said.

"We're going to call the TSA on this guy," Flannigan said, laughing, when asked about the unscreened passenger.
Flight 441 originated in Columbus, Ohio with stops scheduled at Midway Airport in Chicago, Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho before ending at Spokane, Wash.

Cover up! Airline breastfeeding policies…

Hello All BlkAv8tor2003 Checking In!!!

This is an FYI for all or the parents out there! I'm not going to give my full opinion on breastfeeding while flying but I have one. I do want to hear what everyone else says first. I understand it from both side, as a father of a child who was breastfed and the working flight attendant and the uneasiness of other passengers with concerns regarding breastfeeding while flying. I found a blog posting with several airlines breastfeeding policies and I thought I should post it so my readers are as informed as possible. I'll put my two cents in at a later time and date. Don't worry it will be blunt and it will not be PC! I don't do PC either so remember I warned you!!!

Be prepared for holiday storms and delays so "Be Proactive and Not Reactive!" Plan for changes on the fly!!! (No Pun Intended!!!) lol

photo above: shows the logos of some of the airlines listed. Not all airlines shown have policies available for me to post for you. Check with your airline before you travel to be sure of their policies.

To see the list of some of the airlines that have policies regarding breastfeeding checkout phdinparenting.com for the full story!

Nursing mom files complaint against airlines

By Emily Bazar and Sam Hemingway, USA TODAY
A clash between a nursing mother and a flight attendant has sparked a discrimination complaint,
an airline investigation and a grass-roots protest.

Emily Gillette, her husband, Brad; and their then 22-month-old daughter, River,
were removed from an Oct. 13 flight from Burlington, Vt., to New York after a flight attendant asked Gillette to cover up while she was breast-feeding the girl. Freedom Airlines operated the Delta Air Lines flight.

Photo: Emily Gillette was asked to leave a Delta flight after breast-feeding and refusing to cover-up her daughter River, who was 22 months old when the incident occurred.

Gillette, 27, filed a complaint against both airlines last week with the Vermont Human Rights Commission alleging that the airline violated a state law that allows women to breast-feed
"in any place of public accommodation." The airlines have until Nov. 27 to respond,
Gillette's attorney, Elizabeth Boepple, says.

In a show of support, about 30 mothers and fathers and dozens of children staged a "nurse-in"
protest at Burlington International Airport on Wednesday.
"I've always nursed my children when I'm on a plane," says Carolyn Beer, 34, of Burlington.
"Their ears hurt with the altitude change, and it's a strange environment for them. The alternative is to let your kid scream."

The Gillettes, of Espanola, N.M., boarded the flight shortly before 10 p.m.
They had been in Vermont visiting friends and were headed to New York to see other friends and Emily Gillette's sister. Gillette took the window seat in the second-to-last row, she says, and her husband took the aisle.

She began nursing River, using one hand to hold her shirt closed. She says: "I was not exposed."
But the flight attendant approached, tried to hand her a blanket and asked her to cover herself, she recalls. "You're offending me," Gillette quotes the woman as saying.
"I'm not doing anything wrong and I will not cover up," Gillette says she said in response.
Spokesmen for the airlines declined to discuss specifics of the incident.

The flight attendant walked away, Gillette says, and a few minutes later,
a ticket agent boarded and said the flight attendant had ordered them removed.
The airline arranged for a hotel for the family for the night and a flight with a different airline the next morning, but Gillette wasn't satisfied.

"No woman should ever be ashamed of breast-feeding," she says.
She wants "both airlines to create policies that protect a woman from being harassed
for feeding her child on an airplane."

Delta is working with Freedom on an investigation, Delta spokesman Anthony Black says.
"Delta supports a mother's right to breast-feed-slash-bottle-feed her babies on our aircraft," he says. Freedom spokesman Paul Skellon says breast-feeding on a plane is OK if it's done in a "discreet way."

Forty-three states have some form of legislation protecting a woman's right to breast-feed,
according to Mary Lofton, spokeswoman for La Leche League International,
a group that encourages breast-feeding. Lofton says the league has had a growing number of contacts from women who say they were harassed for breast-feeding on planes.

Sharon Panitch, 37, a massage therapist who organized the Burlington nurse-in,
says people who object are "hypocritical." "We just want to take care of our children," Panitch says.

Woman Accidentally Smothers Infant on Transatlantic Flight

British media sources report that late last month, a woman who fell asleep while breastfeeding her infant accidentally smothered her four-week old child while on a United Airlines flight.

United Airlines B777-222 wearing the Oscar's logo up front

United Airlines flight 982 was a 777 en route from Washington Dulles to Kuwait City, and somewhere over the Atlantic, she reportedly awoke to find that her child had been smothered. The crew was alerted by to the situation by the screams of the 29-year-old mother.

A doctor traveling on the flight treated the baby, and the aircraft diverted to London's Heathrow airport, landing on the morning of November 25th. The baby was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

An autopsy has been performed and the authorities are awaiting results. At present, the death is considered to be from unexplained causes, and police and the Child Abuse Investigation Team are investigating the circumstances of the death.

http://www.airsafenews.com/2009/12/woman-accidentally-smothers-infant-on.html

Obese air passenger in economy seat has picture taken

The image, posted on Flightglobal, is thought to be genuine Photo: FLIGHTGLOBAL

An image of an obese passenger squeezed into an economy airline seat has reopened a debate about how airlines deal with growing numbers of oversized passengers.

By Alastair JamiesonPublished: 4:07PM GMT 27 Nov 2009

The picture, posted on an aviation blog, was reportedly taken by a flight attendant to illustrate to airline managers the difficulty of dealing with passengers who cannot fit into seats. It is unclear if the man was aware his picture was being taken or whether the flight, on US carrier American Airlines, took off with the passenger spilling out of his seat.

Airlines already offer extended seatbelts to larger passengers to comply with safety rules but a number of carriers now insist obese customers buy an extra seat. US domestic no-frills airline Southwest has a “customer of size” policy that insists passengers who cannot lower both armrests buy a second ticket which is reimbursed if the flight is not full.

American Airlines does not have such a requirement but urges passengers to “recognize ahead of time that they may need to purchase two seats”. The image, apparently taken on a Boeing 757, was sent to writer Kieran Daly and posted on his blog at aviation news website, Flightglobal.
It is not clear if the image has been altered but Mr Daly wrote: “This is sent to me with the absolute assurance that it's a genuine picture taken by a flight attendant at American Airlines.

The F/A took it to show her manager what was happening on the aircraft (757???) and why she was unhappy about it. Seems the guy paid for only one seat and the gate staff let him board.” Comments below the blog entry illustrate the debate over how to deal sensitively with obese passengers while ensuring others have enough room.

In a statement, American Airlines said: "At this time American Airlines is unable to confirm whether or not the image referred to was taken by a member of flight crew but will investigate the situation internally to determine if any of the airline's strict policies were not correctly applied.

"American Airlines’ primary concern is for the safety and comfort of its passengers and crews and consequently passengers are advised to book two seats if they are concerned that they will require them. If a flight is not full, however, passengers' needs would be accommodated without charge wherever possible."