DL 9/11 stories?

Old Sep 11, 2014, 1:40 pm
  #1  
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DL 9/11 stories?

I think everybody remembers where they were on 9/11.

I flew SLC-ANC on 9/10 and remember that day clearly, watching the coastline on the right side of the airplane as we approached the airport. It was truly one of the most breathtaking flights I had ever been on. Perfect weather, FC on a 767. I don't remember anything about that evening as it was uneventful....probably a bad hotel meal, e-mails, and ironing my clothes for the week. I was at the Courtyard ANC airport.

In the morning I woke up to get ready to go to work and turned on the TV just after the first plane hit. Knowing that my wife was on a flight that morning I quickly called her, she said they were taxing out to the runway in ATL, had turned around, and had just arrived back at the gate. None of the passengers had been told anything yet. I told her "Your trip is cancelled. leave the airport right away, do not say anything to anyone at the gate, just leave, take Marta to Buckhead and take a cab home. Do not wait in the airport. Get out of there - NOW." For the first time, she actually listened to me. She knew something bad had happened.

I was lucky enough to get online and cancel some stock buys I had scheduled for purchase for the open Tuesday morning. I thought the market might crash and a little extra cash might come in handy. I was not sure what else to do......sell everything? Hold tight?

I called my client and of course we agreed we would not complete our work for the week. He did meet me at "Gwennies" for some pancakes just so we could eyeball each other for the first time. We both had other things on our mind.

After that, no e-mail, phones, anything. Everything was locked up. I did have TV at the hotel and watched everything unfold. I got up in morning, took the bus downtown, ate, walked around, and came back and watched some more. This went on for two days.

The second afternoon, my phone actually rang - I was not expecting it since it had been dead. It was my boss wondering if I was OK. Stories of people renting U Hauls to get home since all the rental cars were taken. Some dude in Vegas actually bought a car to get home. I had no other options in ANC but to wait. Who knows how long that would be.

I took the very first flight that left ANC when things started moving again - the redeye on Thursday night. You may recall DL was able to reset a good 1-2 days before anyone else. I had a very strange individual next to me on that flight, and it sounds silly now, but I wondered exactly who this was and what they might do. For the first time, I did not feel safe being on an airplane. It was very strange. Not a wink of sleep on the redeye.

I got home Friday night and was supposed to travel again Saturday morning for my high school reunion. I blew it off. I was not ready for the airport again yet.

This was the day we all knew the way we traveled, among other things, was changing forever.

RIP.

Last edited by dilbertsdaddy; Sep 11, 2014 at 2:44 pm
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:00 pm
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I've always wondered how 9/11 went for all the road warriors. I was in second grade at the time, so I only recall watching CNN in the classroom (and watching the second plane hit), my dad picking me up early and watching CNN all day. Everyone was worried about my uncle, a Jersey City firefighter who was on duty that day. He ended up being fine, but mentally scarred. He had helped set-up triage centers and treat the wounded. I though myself lucky to have lost no one since most all of my family is from Jersey, and my dad flew basically weekly.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:05 pm
  #3  
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Other than flights i cannot remember as a child, I didnt start flying until after 9/11. My first trip involved stopping by the pentagon on the 1st anniverasry.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:07 pm
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I was working in Leeds, UK. Someone came to get me and said there was something on TV that I needed to see but did not give me any other details. Since I was in a hospital we went to the doctor's lounge where there was a television. I couldn't believe my eyes. All I wanted to do was call home and go home. Of course, I could do neither.

After I got back to my hotel I walked a couple of blocks to a wine shop and bought 2 bottles. I think I drank more than one of them that evening. Staff at the hotel and hospital could not have been more helpful and accommodating and I will always be grateful. I was scheduled to fly back home on 9/13 from Manchester. Of course, that was not going to happen.

I took a train to Manchester and camped out at a terrible little hotel so that I could trek to the airport every day to see if I could get on a flight. The hotel only really had 2 channels on the TV - BBC and CNN. By the 3rd day I was getting really depressed and I called for a taxi. I asked to be taken to a mall, any mall just so I could be with people who were doing something "normal."

While I was at the mall I bought a plain white t-shirt. Then I went into one of those accessory stores and bought a large patch of the US flag that I then sewed to the front of the shirt.

Finally, on 9/18 I was able to get on a flight back to the US wearing my shirt with the flag on it. I still have the shirt and have never worn it since.

RIP indeed.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:09 pm
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I flew about 10 days after 9/11, actually going to BOS where there was talk of an ongoing threat there.

I had a very eerie feeling going to the airport that day, but once I got on a plane and we took off, I started to relax since my mind recognized the familiar travel routine.

When we landed in ATL for the connection, I saw it as empty as I had ever remember it. I don't think DL had resumed its full schedule, but luckily none of my flights was cancelled.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:15 pm
  #6  
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I was 24 and was getting ready to start a program for Chrysler....we were doing sales training in Madison, WI on the redesigned Sebring.

I woke to the plane's hitting the WTCs. It was ironic because the night before I had just finished one of those suspense/war paperbacks that had talked about the exact same thing...terrorists using planes as missiles.

Anyway the program I was working on was cancelled and I headed over to Milwaukee on Wednesday 9/12. The afternoon of9/13 USAir put about 10 people on a B737 to be "repositioned" back to CLT. I just remember it being a very quiet and somber flight. There were also about 10 crew members...pilots and FA not the flight as well.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:19 pm
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I teach writing at a college, and every year since the one-year anniversary I've had my students write a reflection on that day. I'm just now getting to the point where the students are of the age where this is the first big thing many of them remember. The reflections started out angry, defiant, patriotic, and sad twelve years ago, but now I'm hearing how the then kindergarten students were bewildered, scared, and confused because of non-verbal cues from their parents, or from carefully crafted discussions that seemed to counter news they were picking up elsewhere. It's been interesting seeing history, and our perceptions of history, being shaped as I've grown older. As for the event itself, I was on sabbatical that year and soon was traveling around Europe, where I remember many strangers coming up to me wanting to talk about 9/11 and offer condolences.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:21 pm
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I was a freshman a Georgia Tech... classes canceled that afternoon for the only time in the 5 years I was there. About a month later I flew ATL-TYS to see my family for fall break... I waited for ~45min at the gate expecting them to meet me... when I called from my cell phone (still counting the minutes in those days) they told me they couldn't come past security any longer which I had not idea had changed. It would be another 4.5 years before I would become a frequent traveler, but a few flights between 2001 and 2006 still has an air of paranoia, especially a 2004 flight LHR-ATL on BA sitting between a buddy of mine who was italian but looked middle-eastern and a very paranoid girl from Alabama.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:43 pm
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I was a junior in high school. They made an announcement at about 1030. We just watched tv the rest of the day. I had foown probably 35-40 trips at this point in my life and was in boston less than a year later and i remember the eerie feeling at the airport unlike anything ive ever felt before. I remember freaking out in class when they made the announcement because my aunt lives about 12 blocks from the WTC. Still get chills to this day watching it all on tv.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:43 pm
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I was scheduled to fly SNA-HOU that day to give a talk at an engineering show (ISA). When I was in the shower my wife turned on the TV and said ‘you’re not flying anywhere today’ - I didn’t believe that an event could occur that would close down the whole US airspace, so I told her not to be daft.

Well. We all know what really happened of course. I recall little for the rest of the day, only watching everything unfold on TV.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 3:23 pm
  #11  
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I remember it quite vididly. I was flying from Grand Forks (GFK) to MSP. I was flying myself solo in a C-172. I literally took off 5 minutes before the ground stop was put into place across the country.

Since it was a beautiful day I was flying VFR, and as soon as I took off and said goodbye to Grand Forks tower I switched the radio to some random frequency. Didn't want to have to listen to all the traffic in the area. For those that don't know the airspace around GFK is really busy due to University of North Dakota's (UND) commercial flight bachelor's degree program. UND has a fleet in number's that at that time was equal to or greater then most commercial airlines. (This was of course pre-merger so airlines on average had half the fleet they have today)

After turning the radio, I selected direct on my GPS, set the autopilot, and planned on an uneventful flight down to MSP. However about 1 1/2 hours into flight the frequency I had randomly tuned to picked up some guys on the ground talking. They sounded drunk, and what they were saying just reaffirmed in my opinion that they were drunk despite the hour. They kept going on about how the FAA had shut down US airspace. Then they started to talk about the Air National Guard in Fargo being deployed to DC. I again still thought they were just two guys drunk talking on a ground radio.

About 15 minutes later as I'm looking out the window I see one of the Fargo fighter jets flying in the distance. (He didn't come towards me, just got close enough I could see him and his friends in the far distance). At that point the guys continued to talk, and now seeing this I decided they might not be as drunk as I think. However I still don't think the FAA has closed airspace. I decided then to dial up Princeton Flight Service Station (they're the FSS for MN). Dial them up, and tell them I'm hearing some guys talk on the radio, and is there anything going on.

It was at that point that Princeton FSS delivered the order to land. Very clear cut "By order of the Administrator of the FAA you are ordered to land at the nearest suitable airport." I of course inquire as to the reason, they replied simply with the same line as before refusing to say why. At this point I open my airport facility directory and begin searching for an airport to land at.

While I had already past it, I decided back tracking about 15 minutes would be the best place to land. I ended up diverting to Detroit Lakes, MN. When I landed the local FBO operator came out to great me. He was actually quite shocked someone was still in the air. I got inside and called Princeton FSS and informed them I was on the ground, and that they could close my flight plan. It was then they informed me I was the last flight up in the air in NW MN and NE ND. Since I had filed a flight plan they knew who I was and where I was going. However they informed if I hadn't (filing one is not required for VFR flights, however offers the protection of someone searching for you if you don't arrive on time) that I would have received an escort until landing. At this point I still had no idea what had happened.

Finally after closing the flight plan I turn around and see a TV. On it is the images of the WTC being hit and collapsing. I actually had a slight sigh of relief I had thought someone had finally lost it and launched a nuke and taken out part of the country. The order to close US airspace had never happened, in my mind a nuke was the only thing I could think of that would cause such an order. Of course that sense of relief only last about 1/2 a second before pure anger and grief hit. I have family in NY and DC. I had actually been at the WTC only two weeks before with family. I also have many friends and family in the aviation business, and family in the NYFD. Luckily none of them had been hurt, and all were like me stuck at various locations. I of course canceled my appointment in MSP, and after realizing that commercial much less general aviation wouldn't be taking off for a few days went about securing a way home. Detroit Lakes has Amtrak service, but when I contacted them I found out the trains had already filled up for at least a week out. Finally I went about seeing if there was a rental car company I could one-way from. Of course Detroit Lakes is small and has no major car rental companies. The only rental cars were those the local Ford dealer rented out. I called them up, made a reservation with plan to return in a week, and asked to be picked up.

Got to the Ford dealer. They asked for credit card, ID, and type of vehicle wanted. I had over my ID and credit card. She then looks at me and says, I'm sorry you're only 22 we don't rent to anyone under 25. I look at her, point out I'm stuck here because I was flying and forced to land here. She wouldn't budge. Finally a manager senses my frustration and comes over to see what the problem is. I calmly explain that I was flying from GFK-MSP and was forced to land here in Detroit Lakes due to the FAA order. He then looks at her and in one of the more memorable lines that day says "Look he just rented a $200,000 plane, was flying over our heads, and was forced to land here, I think we can safely rent him a $10,000 car." She was pissed, but of course had to proceed to rent the vehicle to me. In the end the manager ended up being extra nice and instead of some small car gave me a F150 full cab.

Five days later with no end to the general aviation ground halt I made plans with a friend to return the truck. However that very night they lifted the GA ground halt. I called the place I rent the plane from and inquired if it had been picked up. They told me no. I told them great, then I'll return the car and fly the plane back in the morning. Of course nothing works out that well. I get back down to Detroit Lakes, return the car, get dropped off at the airport, and ask the FBO to pull the plane out so I can return it. He looked at me funny and then explained that the FBO I had rented it from came down that morning and flew it back!! I had to call the rental FBO and ask what the heck happened. The main pilot wasn't sure what had happened, as far as he knew the plane was there and I was to fly it back. Apparently that morning one of the companies pilots saw the ground halt had been lifted. Deciding to get some brownie points without informing anyone he had another pilot fly him down and drop him off. He then picked up the plane and flew back. Since no one was renting the plane for a few days he went ahead and hangared it, thus the chief pilot not knowing it was back. He of course offered to have someone fly down and pick me up. About the only problem with that was having to waste a few hours in an airport with nothing to do, no laptop, no books, etc. In the end I did of course get back home.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 5:19 pm
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I was on a trip in England at the time and had some free time so I was playing golf at a local course. Some people said a plane had hit the WTC so I figured it was a Cessna or something. When I saw the video I was amazed. I was scheduled to fly out several days later and wondered if they would restart service by then. Fortunately they did but there were lots of people who were stranded. By being booked on a non-cancelled flight, I did not have to worry, but there a number of people whose flights were cancelled trying to get on anything back to the USA.The flight from LGW (yes, DL flew there at the time) to ATL was packed and had extra security but the rest of the flights home were empty. The empty flights were eerie and quiet. Airports deserted. Don't want to go through that again.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 5:34 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by sky303
I've always wondered how 9/11 went for all the road warriors. I was in second grade at the time, so I only recall watching CNN in the classroom (and watching the second plane hit), my dad picking me up early and watching CNN all day. Everyone was worried about my uncle, a Jersey City firefighter who was on duty that day. He ended up being fine, but mentally scarred. He had helped set-up triage centers and treat the wounded. I though myself lucky to have lost no one since most all of my family is from Jersey, and my dad flew basically weekly.
A friend of mine was a medic in New Jersey. He told me they brought him to an emergency center set up to treat the wounded, but there weren't any wounded.

The next couple of months were the only time that there was no shortage of donated blood.

I lived in NYC, but I was working in Boston that week. I was initially worried about whether I could get home (since they'd blocked off Manhattan completely); as it was, I took Amtrak a couple of days later, and then had to walk from Penn Station.

A friend of mine had his life saved by our then-favorite rock club: on the night of 9/10, the concert he went to ended around 3 AM, so he was late for work the next day.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 5:46 pm
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I was only on my 2nd day of being a 2nd grader. It was an odd year due to the high school renovation/addition pushed the start of school back.

The only thing that I remember clearly was my mom picking me up after school. (I think 3 years ago she told me this)... She was in Boston that day for a job interview. She had heard what happened and left the city ASAP.

I just remember getting in the car after school and asking my mom "Something really bad happened today right"

Other than that thing, I don't really remember anything significant. I know I sat down and watched TV in the evening like everyone else did, but I don't remember anything else.
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Old Sep 11, 2014, 5:50 pm
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My parents had retired and moved to Florida in 1974. My father had passed away unexpectedly in March 2001 and my mother was dying of cancer (she died in November 2001). My sister and I were alternating weeks to be with her. I was on B6 Flight 17 (JFK-FLL) that morning. As an aside, I still have my BP. We left the gate on time (8:30 AM). We were #2 for takeoff when the Captain got on the intercom and said that if we looked out the windows on the left side, it appeared that the World Trade Center was on fire. We took off and flew over the Upper Bay over Governors Island where we had a clear view of the WTC.

I had the AVOD on CNBC by the time we overflew the area and heard the early comments about a plane crashing into the tower. My initial reactions were interesting. I remembered when I was a child in 1945 and a B-25 crashed into the Empire State Building on a foggy night. I also remembered what it was like when I worked on the 103rd floor of 1 WTC in 1975. I had an office overlooking the Hudson River and Upper Bay and watched the aircraft flying by below me all day long. I left that job in 1976 and my former employer (The Federal Home Loan Bank of NY) moved to 4 WTC location after the garage bombing in 1993 when everyone had to walk down. The space was later occupied by Cantor Fitzgerald and that is where the aircraft hit 1 WTC.

Our flight continued and I watched CNBC as the second plane hit 2 WTC. Just after we passed DC, the plane hit the Pentagon. When airspace was shut down we landed at RDU. I was fortunate enough to snag a rental car and drove to our NJ home via Roanoke, I-81 and I-78, knowing that Id never be able to get through on I-95. There was no traffic on the road and I made the trip from RDU in just under 8 hours. Fortunately, I had an automobile charger for my cell phone and was able to stay in touch with people.

Even though the George Washington Bridge and others were closed to traffic, I was able to drive my rental car to JFK the following day to retrieve my truck and the firefighting and EMS gear I always have in it. At the time I was a Commissioner of our Fire District on Long Island (where we also live) as well as a Past Chief of the Fire Department, and was able to get the necessary clearances to travel since we were still on standby if needed.
Due to my having being a volunteer FF for many years on Long Island, I knew many NYC FFs who died that day. Just as tragically, I know many of them who have died and others who are slowly dying of the respiratory injuries they incurred after working the site both on that and future days. Sadly, they are treated like dirt by New York City.
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