Hold on... before this gets out of hand..

Did they order a Muslim meal? I am not exactly sure of the requirements of cutlery for muslim meals at KLM, but when one orders a Kosher meal, the entire tray of contents are disposable. Meaning everything is in plastic, is sealed and therefore not 'contaminated' by un-kosher hands!

With Kosher meals you often used to get used metal cutlery. This occasionaly still happens and depends on the caterer and airline policy about cutlery.

Perhaps Halal is the same.

My guess is they did not. Had that been the case I think KLM would have spoken up to say so. Plus, the FA told them it was probably because of 9-11.

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin

Or is it possible that KLM got a pop phone call out of the blue, didn't have the time to get the facts, and the newspaper rushed to print the story because it happened to fit their own editorial position?

As far as the flight attendant thing, isn't it possible that, had they ordered a special meal, which is probably prepared for a wide array of flights, inluding those with cutlery restrictions, all must be packed with plastic utensils to be "legal" everywhere? Wouldn't that be becuase of 9/11?

I don't know. Maybe not. The point is, nobody knows, and newspapers are supposed to be in the business of printing facts, not speculation. Guy Betsy raises a great point that I completely neglected.

[This message has been edited by Brian (edited 02-19-2003).]

It turns out they had ordered muslim food and therefore got it served with plastic cutlery. The article with KLM's response is unfortunately also in swedish:

http://www.nerikes.se/index_frame.as...txtId%3D605703

Beats me Tazi, if I'm travelling with someone I might notice but I have a life .

Nigel

I am accepting apologies at this time.

Thank you for posting this update, PappaG. Obviously, I am not referring to you in the above.

[This message has been edited by Brian (edited 02-19-2003).]

Many moons ago, I taught journalism at the college level, and also worked in print and radio journalism. I don't mean to be contrary, Brian, but an old saw among newsies is that "the news is what the assignment editor says it is." http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

If there's an objective standard, I'd love to know what it is. My students would have sold their souls to have it in their notes.

I do not speak from inexperience in this area http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.

And setting aside a long debate on what news is or is not, can there be any question that this story was completely mishandled?

Still waiting for that apology from the people who... well, they weren't nice to me. (sniff, sniff) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Brian (edited 02-19-2003).]

Ah! Printer's ink in your veins, then? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

No doubt, but as I'm sure you know, it happens every day. It is incumbent on us all -- as I'm sure you will agree -- to look deeper when a story smells fishy. Short deadlines and sloppy reportage sometimes join forces to generate stories that make folks get their skivvies in a wad.

Good luck on that. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Hold your breath.

My sincere apologies go to KLM for thinking unkindly of them http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif



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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin

Tazi, all this negative emotion has to be hurting you. Yoga or meditation is effective, and when I am wrong, completely and utterly, I find nothing is as cleansing as a good heartfelt apology.

Doesn't happen very often, but that may be the source of it's unique restorative power.

My emotions are just fine, Brian but thank you for the concern. I'm not feeling the least bit negative. Quite the opposite actually. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin

Here is an english version of that story, courtesy of Australia's "The Age":

see: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...927841905.html

No argument on the second part of the above, however, your initial post clearly stated this story wasn't news - isn't news in the eye of the beholder so to speak? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif