United flight 564 - Denver story in Washington Times - thoughts, comments?
Sep 19, 2001, 9:28 pm
#1
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United flight 564 - Denver story in Washington Times - thoughts, comments?
I heard this on a radio show in Los Angeles today, and didn't believe it until I pulled it off the papers web site. Here it is: Thoughts please
"As it was at most U.S. airports, last Saturday was the first
near-normal day at Denver International since the terrorist
attacks. On United's Flight 564 the door had just been
locked and the plane was about to pull out of the gate when
the captain came on the public address system.
"I want to thank you brave folks for coming out today. We
don't have any new instructions from the federal government,
so from now on we're on our own."
The passengers listened in total silence.
He explained that airport security measures had pretty much
solved the problem of firearms being carried aboard, but not
weapons of the type the terrorists apparently used, plastic
knives or those fashioned from wood or ceramics.
"Sometimes a potential hijacker will announce that he has a
bomb. There are no bombs on this aircraft and if someone
were to get up and make that claim, don't believe him.
"If someone were to stand up,brandish something such as a
plastic knife and say 'This is a hijacking' or words to that
effect here is what you should do: Every one of you should
stand up and immediately throw things at that person —
pillows, books, magazines, eyeglasses, shoes —anything that
will throw him off balance and distract his attention. If he
has a confederate or two, do the same with them. Most
important: get a blanket over him, then wrestle him to floor
and keep him there. We'll land the plane at the nearest
airport and the authorities will take it from there."
"Remember, there will be one of him and maybe a few
confederates, but there are 200 of you. You can overwhelm
them.
"The Declaration of Independence says 'We, the people' and
that's just what it is when we're up in the air: we, the
people, vs. would-be terrorists. I don't think we are going
to have any such problem today or tomorrow or for a while,
but some time down the road, it is going to happen again and
I want you to know what to do.
"Now, since we're a family for the new few hours, I'll ask
you to turn to the person next to you, introduce yourself,
tell them a little about yourself and ask them to do the
same."
The end of this remarkable speech brought sustained clapping
from the passengers. He had put the matter in perspective.
If only the passengers on those ill-fated flights last
Tuesday had been given the same talk, I thought, they might
be alive today. One group on United Flight 93, which crashed
in a Pennsylvania field, apparently rushed the hijackers in
an attempt to wrest control from them. While they perished,
they succeeded in preventing the terrorist from attacking
his intended goal, possibly the White House or the Capitol.
Procedures for dealing with hijackers were conceived in a
time when the hijackers were usually seeking the release of
jailed comrades or a large amount of money. Mass murder was
not their goal. That short talk last Saturday by the pilot
of Flight 564 should set a new standard of realism.
Every passenger should learn the simple — but potentially
life-saving — procedure he outlined. He showed his
passengers that a hijacking does not have to result in
hopelessness and terror, but victory over the perpetrators.
The Airline Pilots Association, the pilots' union, last week
dropped its opposition to stronger cockpit doors and is now
calling for retrofits. (It's opposition was based on pilot
concerns about getting out easily in emergency situations.)
The scandal of easily penetrated airport security will
result in congressional calls for a federal takeover of the
security system.
Previous efforts to reform security procedures and raise
standards have been talked to death. This time, however, no
lobbying efforts must be allowed to prevent airport security
from getting the reforms that are needed: federal operation,
rigorous training, decent pay and no foreign nationals
eligible for employment."
------------------
Askworldtraveler, EXP,4 million AA miles+++
"As it was at most U.S. airports, last Saturday was the first
near-normal day at Denver International since the terrorist
attacks. On United's Flight 564 the door had just been
locked and the plane was about to pull out of the gate when
the captain came on the public address system.
"I want to thank you brave folks for coming out today. We
don't have any new instructions from the federal government,
so from now on we're on our own."
The passengers listened in total silence.
He explained that airport security measures had pretty much
solved the problem of firearms being carried aboard, but not
weapons of the type the terrorists apparently used, plastic
knives or those fashioned from wood or ceramics.
"Sometimes a potential hijacker will announce that he has a
bomb. There are no bombs on this aircraft and if someone
were to get up and make that claim, don't believe him.
"If someone were to stand up,brandish something such as a
plastic knife and say 'This is a hijacking' or words to that
effect here is what you should do: Every one of you should
stand up and immediately throw things at that person —
pillows, books, magazines, eyeglasses, shoes —anything that
will throw him off balance and distract his attention. If he
has a confederate or two, do the same with them. Most
important: get a blanket over him, then wrestle him to floor
and keep him there. We'll land the plane at the nearest
airport and the authorities will take it from there."
"Remember, there will be one of him and maybe a few
confederates, but there are 200 of you. You can overwhelm
them.
"The Declaration of Independence says 'We, the people' and
that's just what it is when we're up in the air: we, the
people, vs. would-be terrorists. I don't think we are going
to have any such problem today or tomorrow or for a while,
but some time down the road, it is going to happen again and
I want you to know what to do.
"Now, since we're a family for the new few hours, I'll ask
you to turn to the person next to you, introduce yourself,
tell them a little about yourself and ask them to do the
same."
The end of this remarkable speech brought sustained clapping
from the passengers. He had put the matter in perspective.
If only the passengers on those ill-fated flights last
Tuesday had been given the same talk, I thought, they might
be alive today. One group on United Flight 93, which crashed
in a Pennsylvania field, apparently rushed the hijackers in
an attempt to wrest control from them. While they perished,
they succeeded in preventing the terrorist from attacking
his intended goal, possibly the White House or the Capitol.
Procedures for dealing with hijackers were conceived in a
time when the hijackers were usually seeking the release of
jailed comrades or a large amount of money. Mass murder was
not their goal. That short talk last Saturday by the pilot
of Flight 564 should set a new standard of realism.
Every passenger should learn the simple — but potentially
life-saving — procedure he outlined. He showed his
passengers that a hijacking does not have to result in
hopelessness and terror, but victory over the perpetrators.
The Airline Pilots Association, the pilots' union, last week
dropped its opposition to stronger cockpit doors and is now
calling for retrofits. (It's opposition was based on pilot
concerns about getting out easily in emergency situations.)
The scandal of easily penetrated airport security will
result in congressional calls for a federal takeover of the
security system.
Previous efforts to reform security procedures and raise
standards have been talked to death. This time, however, no
lobbying efforts must be allowed to prevent airport security
from getting the reforms that are needed: federal operation,
rigorous training, decent pay and no foreign nationals
eligible for employment."
------------------
Askworldtraveler, EXP,4 million AA miles+++
Sep 24, 2001, 12:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 987
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ManyMiles:
"We the people" are the first three words of the Constitution, not the Declaration of Independance.</font>
"We the people" are the first three words of the Constitution, not the Declaration of Independance.</font>
Freefaller12k