"PS. Which 4 criteria did the hijackers meet? I thought they were all frequent flyers, educated, no criminal record, etc. Sounds like the airlines best customers to me!"

I recall reading that one bought a last minute, walk up, one way, first class ticket for something like $2000 cash. Visa did not even get their 4% cut.

$2000 cash for a seat departing soon on a light load flight that would probably go unsold. Best customer? You bet. All Chapter 11 airlines wish they had a few thousand more regulars like that.

The airline was too busy drooling over the windfall to have the rent-a-cop-wannabes search the pax.