I removed myself from an airline flight - long

"Tom Fleischman"
In article , Paul Rekieta
, "Maule Driver"
Well, they were as nice as could be about it and didn't even let a
patronizing
smirk out but I was totally spooked and said that I was going to get
off the
plane. I explained that it shouldn't be a problem since I only had a
carry
on bag and well, I was just going to stay behind

I bet you couldn¹t do this in today¹s terrorist environment.

Couldn't do what? Get off the airplane? That's preposterous, what are
you suggesting they would do? Not let you off? Handcuff you to your
seat?

Please.
Well I'm sure one could get off but I think there might be other
consequences. If a specific procedure is lacking I'm sure the pilot would
attempt to evaluate the request and the person making it and then determine
whether more security actions would be required. Might be a much different
situation for passengers with the same request but different appearances.

In article , Maule
Driver wrote:

"Tom Fleischman"
In article , Paul Rekieta
, "Maule Driver"
Well, they were as nice as could be about it and didn't even let a
patronizing
smirk out but I was totally spooked and said that I was going to get
off the
plane. I explained that it shouldn't be a problem since I only had a
carry
on bag and well, I was just going to stay behind

I bet you couldn¹t do this in today¹s terrorist environment.

Couldn't do what? Get off the airplane? That's preposterous, what are
you suggesting they would do? Not let you off? Handcuff you to your
seat?

Please.
Well I'm sure one could get off but I think there might be other
consequences. If a specific procedure is lacking I'm sure the pilot would
attempt to evaluate the request and the person making it and then determine
whether more security actions would be required. Might be a much different
situation for passengers with the same request but different appearances.

Well yeah, sure, I'm sure that there would be security concerns raised
in the minds of the crew and the Thousands Standing Around, but if they
don't find anything, even in your name were Mustafah, then the
situation would be about the same as what you experienced, it would
just take a lot longer to be on your way.

It certainly would not be a case of "you couldn't do this in today's
environment".

Might be a much different
situation for passengers with the same request but different appearances.

Its a sad fact that in today's environment doing this would have severe
consequences. To call for a search because the passenger who wants off is
wearing a turban or has the name Mustafah will get you a discrimination
lawsuit. It has happened to my company already. This is why you see babies and
little old ladies called out for secondary searches at the gate and seldom
folks who may be from the middle east. I hope the liberals sleep tight tonight.

Who gives a rat's ass what the bus driver thinks? You are a paying customer, not his servant!

You make your decision and you live with the consequences... The fact that nothing happened on that flight (I assume) is neither here nor there... If it had ripped that door off and had to emergency land, and people slide down the chutes and break limbs, would you now be worrying about what someone's hired help thinks of you?

As far as the pilot saying he didn't need to inspect the mechanics work, if the door had departed in flight you can bet he would have been singing a different song to the DOT, as they took his certificate for failing to inspect...

The FAA/DOT and the Federal Courts are on the same play book on that one - "You, the pilot, are 100% responsible if you were aware there was a question of airworthiness (and sometimes even if there is not a question)... Yes, we may also get mechanic, but you, the pilot, will be the first up to the steps to the gallows..."

Denny

"Maule Driver" wrote in message .com...
This happened in Houston years ago - maybe 6 or 7. Curious about what any airline people think of this.

In article ,
"Maule Driver" wrote:

This happened in Houston years ago - maybe 6 or 7. Curious about what any
airline people think of this.

I used to spend a big part of my life on commercial aircraft when I
lived in the middle east.

Once I was waiting to fly from London to Jeddah when a Saudi asked me if
I would carry some luggage for him. I refused and watched him walk along
the line of passengers until someone agreed. It was one of those
situations where I was uneasy but couldn't decide whether or not to
pursue it (this was a looong time before people started worrying about
terrorists)

So the plane is taxiing to the runway and I unfasten my seatbelt, walk
over to the nearest cabin attendant and told her what happened.

Back to the ramp, unloaded and I have to crouch behind a bunch of
sandbags with the police, trying to identify which box it was.
We eventually find it and blow it up - it was toys!


--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Almost Instrument
Cessna 172H C-GICE

"tony roberts"
Once I was waiting to fly from London to Jeddah when a Saudi asked me if
I would carry some luggage for him. I refused and watched him walk along
the line of passengers until someone agreed. It was one of those
situations where I was uneasy but couldn't decide whether or not to
pursue it (this was a looong time before people started worrying about
terrorists)

So the plane is taxiing to the runway and I unfasten my seatbelt, walk
over to the nearest cabin attendant and told her what happened.

Back to the ramp, unloaded and I have to crouch behind a bunch of
sandbags with the police, trying to identify which box it was.
We eventually find it and blow it up - it was toys!

That's taking action. That is a case where you did 'know' something that
was unacceptable. You pointed it out and the pilot made the decision.

In a sense, you did the same thing I did in Houston but the pilot considered
it a show stopper.

Complacency kills.
--
Gene Seibel
Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.






"Maule Driver" wrote in message r.com...
"tony roberts"
Once I was waiting to fly from London to Jeddah when a Saudi asked me if
I would carry some luggage for him. I refused and watched him walk along
the line of passengers until someone agreed. It was one of those
situations where I was uneasy but couldn't decide whether or not to
pursue it (this was a looong time before people started worrying about
terrorists)

So the plane is taxiing to the runway and I unfasten my seatbelt, walk
over to the nearest cabin attendant and told her what happened.

Back to the ramp, unloaded and I have to crouch behind a bunch of
sandbags with the police, trying to identify which box it was.
We eventually find it and blow it up - it was toys!

That's taking action. That is a case where you did 'know' something that
was unacceptable. You pointed it out and the pilot made the decision.

In a sense, you did the same thing I did in Houston but the pilot considered
it a show stopper.

I had a somewhat similar experience leaving COS. Seems that there
was an issue with weight and balance, fuel, luggage, etc. After
20-30 minutes of delay and obvious confusion, I grabbed my carry-on
and left the plane and rebooked on another flight.

Commercial airline pilots screw up as well and may kill dozens in the
process.

Ron Lee

(Ron Lee) wrote
I had a somewhat similar experience leaving COS. Seems that
there was an issue with weight and balance, fuel, luggage, etc.

And unlike General Aviation, where the resolution is left up to
one person (the PIC) to perhaps make an error, airlines are
required to utilize several individuals to reduce the chance of
a disastrous mistake. The Pilot, the Flight Dispatcher,the
Loadmaster, and the Copilot all have responsibilities to reduce
the chance of error. Most General Aviation pilots have no under-
standing of airline OpSpecs and Operation Manuals that allow the
overall responsibility of the operation to be shared and cross-
checked by different persons. In many cases, one or more of these
people may not even be located where the flight will depart.
Major airlines usually operate from 2-3 main dispatch centers
where all flight plans and load sheets are computer generated and
transmitted to local stations for the flightcrew. Any breakdown in
communications results in local hand preparation or a delay until
communications are re-estabilished.

Commercial airline pilots screw up as well and may kill dozens
in the process.

Yes....but damn seldom!

Bob Moore
ATP B-707 B-727
PanAm (retired)