Dear Flyingrev and SJK616,

If those stories are true, and I have no reason to doubt them, those incidents are eerily reminiscent of a crash that some of you on this board may remember, concerning an airliner (I don't remember whose, but I think it was a 747) that exploded upon takeoff from Mecca about 10 years ago.

It was carrying Muslim pilgrims who had just made the HAJ, and one of them apparently started a portable cooking stove to prepare something to eat or drink. Obviously, something went tragically wrong, and the plane exploded with, as I remember, all hands being lost.

Kempis -- With these horror stories appearing all too in sync with one another, why would you wish to tempt fate and ask if they have a frequent flyer program?

Perhaps one of the awards is a discount on a burial service?