Don't read books about airplanes while on an airplane.
Aug 24, 2011, 3:05 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Boston
Posts: 821
I shudder to think what would have happened had the flight attendant not seen the guy reading the books till mid-flight, especially with the plane headed toward DC.
Aug 24, 2011, 3:10 pm
#32
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
Note to self: Avoid UA.
I am currently researching arc flash for a research paper. I have printed out a bunch of articles and stapled them together for reference and I carry them with me. The top one is here.
I may be in trouble.
I am currently researching arc flash for a research paper. I have printed out a bunch of articles and stapled them together for reference and I carry them with me. The top one is here.
I may be in trouble.
Aug 24, 2011, 3:36 pm
#34
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SFO/SJC/SQL
Posts: 1,412
Mr. Gilbert mentions flying on a E170 which means his flight was probably operated by Shuttle America. While this does not mean United can wash their hands of the incident, I find the cabin crew of many feeder airlines to be much less experienced and overreact to seemingly minor issues. Guess this poor pax became yet more collateral damage for the Big Brother-ish "see something, say something."
Aug 24, 2011, 3:54 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
Interesting -- I looked on the UA website and on the Dulles airport flight info websites and couldn't find his flight number. I suppose they could have changed the schedule between August 11 & now. I did find UA 3429. Given the four-digit number, I suspected it was a cropduster and, likely, a commuter airline. I was right, if this other flight # is correct. The flight was actually Trans States Airlines. That doesn't relieve UA of any responsibility and future liability, but, it does perhaps explain why the crew was so weird about this. Not being UA, they can't really claim 9/11 paranoia as a reason.
It's a United Express flight; the operating carrier is Shuttle America.
Aug 24, 2011, 3:56 pm
#37
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
They do not also operate flights for CO.
Maybe as CO continues the merger, they will abandon 70-passenger regional jets on the BOS-IAD shuttle flights and bring full mainline jet service to the route? That would be nice.
Or would you prefer that CO ditch Shuttle America and bring in Colgan on this route?
Last edited by mherdeg; Aug 24, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Aug 24, 2011, 3:59 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Marriott or Hilton hot tub with a big drink <glub> Beverage: To-Go Bag™ DYKWIA: SSSS /rolleyes ☈ Date Night: Costco
Programs: Sea Shell Lounge Platinum, TSA Pre✓ Refusnik Diamond, PWP Gold, FT subset of the subset
Posts: 12,509
That being said, I was aware of their paranoia and a couple months back I specifically took a complimentary copy of Flying magazine from the AC MLL at YYZ to read on my UA flight - making sure the cover and lots of pictures were visible to the FAs and flight deck crew as I read the magazine before departure.
I'm a pilot and read that magazine frequently, but I would have dared them to say something, as the Peel Police who work at YYZ would have likely arrested the crew for creating a disturbance had they called the police on me for my choice of reading material.
I'm a pilot and read that magazine frequently, but I would have dared them to say something, as the Peel Police who work at YYZ would have likely arrested the crew for creating a disturbance had they called the police on me for my choice of reading material.
Aug 24, 2011, 4:11 pm
#39
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
I was sitting diagonally across from him; he was sitting in the jumpseat facing the cabin.
One of my all time favourite books is Nevil Shute's No Highway. It may be time for a re-read.
Aug 24, 2011, 4:17 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
Aug 24, 2011, 4:31 pm
#41
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SFO/SJC/SQL
Posts: 1,412
Next time I fly on Shuttle America, I'll be sure to reread Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander to the Fall of the Taliban. The cover has a Mujaheddin soldier with an AK-47. Read it on a couple of AA and WN flights without anyone batting an eye.
Aug 24, 2011, 4:33 pm
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
(1) A few years ago, in flight on aa, I was watching on my portable dvd player the serial film ACE DRUMMOND, in the first chapter (which sets the theme for the other 12), scene upon scene of planes of Mongolian Airways are being crashed by the Dragon. If a FA noticed this, I'd probably be writing this from prison cell.
(2) We here on FT, think too logically; the general public feels anything the govt. does to insure their safety is worth the hassle.
(3) One would assume a librarian, would be more intelligent and realize that books don't commit crimes: In the 70's (30 years before 9/11), I stopped into a library and inquired whether they had a copy of the OAG (airplane timetable book), his comment was that isn't that info "classified" and not available to the general public.
(2) We here on FT, think too logically; the general public feels anything the govt. does to insure their safety is worth the hassle.
(3) One would assume a librarian, would be more intelligent and realize that books don't commit crimes: In the 70's (30 years before 9/11), I stopped into a library and inquired whether they had a copy of the OAG (airplane timetable book), his comment was that isn't that info "classified" and not available to the general public.
Aug 24, 2011, 4:40 pm
#43
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,205
To be clear, the flight crew in question worked for Shuttle America, an airline which runs flights for United and for Delta.
They do not also operate flights for CO.
Maybe when CO will abandon 70-passenger regional jets on the BOS-IAD shuttle flights and bring full mainline jet service to the route? That would be nice.
Or would you prefer that CO ditch Shuttle America and bring in Colgan on this route?
They do not also operate flights for CO.
Maybe when CO will abandon 70-passenger regional jets on the BOS-IAD shuttle flights and bring full mainline jet service to the route? That would be nice.
Or would you prefer that CO ditch Shuttle America and bring in Colgan on this route?
Aug 24, 2011, 4:41 pm
#44
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Port Moody, BC
Posts: 484
I will use some discretion when loading movies on my iPad for travel viewing (for example, while I love horror movies I wouldn't dream of watching one with excessive gore when people are sitting close enough to see it), but I'll be damned if I restrict my reading material in order to avoid someone making a stupid assumption about my potential risk.
Aug 24, 2011, 4:42 pm
#45
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,726