I did a quick search on the board but didn't find any posts by Randy in the recents days, where are you?

Safe and sound and very busy. I received a few email correspondences from him just today.

Thanks

Maybe Randy is off doing a Think Tank thing. I have some real concerns that the following could take place:

- Security becomes so tight, flying becomes a pain.

- You have to arrive 90-120 minutes before a flight

- Those scissors you used to carry in your shaving kit are confiscated, and they take your name for future reference

- What you insure the security guys is just a hair curler is taken, and your electric tootbrush and...

- We are no longer able to carry on our laptops. They get checked, lost, stolen, broken. PDAs are checked with the pilot. Cell phones must be checked.

- Due to less people in the terminal, concessions close down, people are without work

- Only food left in First Class is finger food. No utensils allowed. No wine either due to elimination of corkscrews.

- China eliminated since we could break that and use as a weapon

- Roll-ons eliminated. Not sure what might be hidden in handles

We all say "the hell with it" and travel less. Airlines begin to suffer. Rates go up. We fly less. Only service left is a resurrected Peoples Express. With failures of airlines, all Frequent Flyer programs become victims of Bankruptcy courts.

Amtrack survives. Greyhound comes back.

But heck - there is good news. Terminals are very quiet. And dusty.

(by the way, this weeks incident could still have happened even with all the changes above)

Thanks for the concern. I flew to Dallas Monday to have dinner with the president of the AAdvantage program on Monday night. Conversation and topics were perfect. Was scheduled to be at their annual partner summit on Tuesday when the very sad news came upon us all. The summit was apprpriately canceled and I was temporari;y stranded until i remembered that i had an Avis car rental in the garage for yet another parter in pursuit of their 20 Partner promotion and with gas tank full, drove all night back to Colorado to check up on FlyerTalk.

Like many if not all of you - it doesn't matter that i know the faces and the names of our fellow travelers on those unfortunate flights - we are one. I am very saddened and sorry for the times and their lives. We'll light our candles for them, salute our fallen comrades of travel and then after a pause, go forth again.

There are 266* more angels in heaven, 266* more stars in the sky, and we are sure to miss them all and have 266* tears in our eyes.

*minus the hi-jackers.