RatherBeOnATrain

The Atlanta fishwrap has posted a new article describing a particularly unfortunate Delta flight: a volcano eruption forced a diversion to Santiago, where airport police thought there was a security problem onboard... so they directed it to a remote area and then (apparently) escorted passengers off at gunpoint.

By the time the misunderstanding was cleared up, the crew had timed out.

Here's the link to the article:
Atlanta-Journal Constitution: Delta passengers ordered off plane after diverting to Chile

weekilter

What's with newspaper sites making type so small you can barely distinguish one word from another as well as cluttering the page up with tons of junk? If it weren't for the readability app I'd just blow off articles like this.

monkeshine

They should make you an Air Marshall.

PRWeezer

Hope the guy who started this thread reads this update:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...migration.html

"Tonight's flight from EZE - ATL has been cancelled, allegedly due the volcanic ash (which i don't buy). "

And selfishly I'm wishing, and hoping, and thinking and praying (sing along now) the volcano works itself out before my ATL-SCL flights next month for our annual South American ski trip. Or that the current trend continues that SCL flights aren't impacted.

P.S. OP, I would add, there have been times when traveling on planes/trains within Europe/Asia/S America that I boarded and/or disembarked "at gunpoint" because there were armed soldiers patrolling the area due to national/local security regulations to be sure all was ok.

PPS OP this "new" article was more than 24 hours after the flight. YAY AJC!

jjmiller69

This is closer to the norm outside of USA. If you don't travel international you maybe suprised, but that's how it's done overseas.

PRWeezer

Indeed, per my updated post...which was sparked as MrWeezer & I shared stories of all the Uzis we have seen while traveling.

waltinsocal

No compensation due unless it is a DL employee with a gun doing the offloading.

MikeMpls

It's normal size and easily readable for me. You probably need to make some adjustments on your own computer or just "zoom in" your browser.

Evan!

+10

There is no excuse for complaining about small type (the word is actually "font"). A browser has more capabilities than just surfing porn and downloading music.

With just about any browser (and YES there is life outside of IE) you can raise the font size by using CTRL with the "+" key and lower the font size with CTRL and the "-" key. On Mac use the Command key with "+" or "-". This is true for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, and even IE.

And that "junk" on the screen is keeping them in business... so you can read the article for free. When the junk goes away so does the site. I can't think of a browser that doesn't have an ad-blocking plug-in so, again, try taking some initiative to achieve the surfing experience you want rather than expecting the site to know and please each individual.

DL2SXM

Maybe if there were a few upper level elites on the flight they'd get something but, being this wasn't really a Delta issue, I'd say none to.

Thomas Hudson

Airplane engines dislike volcanic ash.... deadstick landings in heavy jets are not much fun...

I'd give them miles for avoiding an episode like that...

It would stink, but that is how it goes...

As far as guns... 2/3s of the foreign airports I have been to have paramil type police with various assault type weapons...

waltinsocal

So, so true about the foreign airports, and even the foreign police in some places I have visited. The type of weapons by some of these folks are impressive. In Istanbul, even the "tourist police" carried some form of a machine gun.

csf1

PRWeezer - i was the OP referenced above and let me add more detail on my post. The June 29th flight ATL-EZE flight was canceled, but none of the flights on United Or American were canceled due to ash and they all subsequently left EZE on June 30th as scheduled. So for the agent at the Diamond desk to say my June 30th flight EZE-ATL was canceled because of the volcano it is somewhat hard to believe.

bmchris

Most are likely unloaded. Local color. When was the last time you heard about airport police using a machine gun? Not the most accurate device. Yep, let's have John J take out the perps in a crowded airport with surgical shots on full auto. Rock n' roll.

RatherBeOnATrain

Give the airline your miles?

Did you forget which website you were posting on?