What was your first trip/flight after 9/11/2001?
Feb 8, 2006, 4:16 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,680
My experience is catalogued below, written just a few hours after I got home after being stranded in New York for the week.
Full post can be found at : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180258
Full post can be found at : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180258
As we climbed out, the city came into view with a million lights shining brightly. But down at the southern end of Manhattan, there was a different kind of light and a big huge void where two of the brightest lights had once shone. At that moment, I began to cry. I'm sure many others on board cried too. We cried not out of sadness or out of joy, but we just cried to let it all out. We cried for the city that we remembered before Tuesday and we cried for the city that we now knew. We cried for the loss of innocence that the country had suffered. We cried for the victims and the families and the rescue workers working thousands of feet below us. But most of all we cried because we were back in the air and no matter how hard they knocked us down, we were back up again.
Feb 8, 2006, 5:19 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Brisbane AU, Planet X
Programs: QC Life, QFF Gold, VA Gold, HH nothing,IHG Gold
Posts: 1,614
Saturday 15 September; SYD-BNE; on Qantas; could have saved $10.00 and booked Ansett but then would not have got home. Ansett shut down on the 13 September. 
Feb 8, 2006, 6:47 am
#18
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: AVL and Almond, NC
Programs: Earthling, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 914
9/17 AVL-CLT-LAS
We did the arrive early thing at the airport. So, we had almost two hours to kill at AVL. The lame little bar was closed. We had to walk across the road to Mr. Pete's market to get a six pack to consume in the parking lot.
The planes were about 1/3 filled. Upgrade cleared easily.
LAS was a ghost town when we arrived. No lines for anything
We did the arrive early thing at the airport. So, we had almost two hours to kill at AVL. The lame little bar was closed. We had to walk across the road to Mr. Pete's market to get a six pack to consume in the parking lot.
The planes were about 1/3 filled. Upgrade cleared easily.
LAS was a ghost town when we arrived. No lines for anything
Feb 8, 2006, 6:49 am
#19
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 169
IAD - NIM, Feb 2002. Everything went smoothly of course, on the way back I thought it was interesting that Air France brought their own security crew that goes through every single bag, even after exiting the niamey airport, heh.
Feb 8, 2006, 7:16 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: UA 2.5MM; HH Diamond; Hyatt Platinum; MR Gold
Posts: 1,356
IAD to CDG on 2 October on UA. The flight was only about half full (as most of the international flights seemed to be, judging by the empty seats at the gates), which was a good thing as security at IAD was quite high and lines moved at a snail's pace. The FAs were unusually friendly and the flight crew shook hands with all of the passengers as we disembarked, thanking us for flying.
I had flown into CVG from DCA on 10 September and was supposed to fly from CVG to DEN on the 11th of September, but that obviously didn't happen. I ended up stuck in Cincinnati until the 14th because of the dearth of rental cars. When I dropped the car off at the Alamo lot at DCA the afternoon of the 14th, the lot was basically empty and they immediately rented the car I had just returned, without even a car wash.
I had flown into CVG from DCA on 10 September and was supposed to fly from CVG to DEN on the 11th of September, but that obviously didn't happen. I ended up stuck in Cincinnati until the 14th because of the dearth of rental cars. When I dropped the car off at the Alamo lot at DCA the afternoon of the 14th, the lot was basically empty and they immediately rented the car I had just returned, without even a car wash.
Feb 8, 2006, 7:45 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NY
Programs: JetBlue TrueBlue, US Air Dividend Miles
Posts: 412
We flew from New York to Las Vegas in October 2001. Don't remember the exact date. It was still pretty bizarre. Lots of security--I believe we (my husband & I) got the full treatment. When we got to Vegas there were armed guards along the corridors. Las Vegas itself was a ghost town. Never seen it that dead, and have never won so much money there in one trip!!
Feb 8, 2006, 7:54 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 566
Hi there....long time lurker, first time poster (I feel like I'm calling into a radio show--"long time listener, first time caller!").
I flew on September 11. My flight left around 7am central, if I remember correctly. I was only flying from Chicago to Louisville, so by the time the pilots would have been instructed to land at the nearest airport we were already close to Louisville. I don't know what the pilots knew at that point, if they even knew anything. We all found out after we deplaned and noticed a bunch of people in the gift shop watching the news.
Needless to say, I had to drive back from Louisville (luckily I already had a car rental reservation, or I would have been stuck for days).
I still have that boarding pass at my desk.
A couple of weeks later I had a business meeting in New York (where I live now). It was definitely a creepy experience flying so soon after September 11 and to NY, no less. Everyone was very somber, very polite, and very nervous, but there was a palpable feeling that most of the passengers were ready to fight back if needed.
I walked down to the WTC during that trip, too. Obviously horrifying to see two huge buildings in piles of rubble, still smoking, with police and national guard all over the place.
I flew on September 11. My flight left around 7am central, if I remember correctly. I was only flying from Chicago to Louisville, so by the time the pilots would have been instructed to land at the nearest airport we were already close to Louisville. I don't know what the pilots knew at that point, if they even knew anything. We all found out after we deplaned and noticed a bunch of people in the gift shop watching the news.
Needless to say, I had to drive back from Louisville (luckily I already had a car rental reservation, or I would have been stuck for days).
I still have that boarding pass at my desk.
A couple of weeks later I had a business meeting in New York (where I live now). It was definitely a creepy experience flying so soon after September 11 and to NY, no less. Everyone was very somber, very polite, and very nervous, but there was a palpable feeling that most of the passengers were ready to fight back if needed.
I walked down to the WTC during that trip, too. Obviously horrifying to see two huge buildings in piles of rubble, still smoking, with police and national guard all over the place.
Feb 8, 2006, 8:48 am
#25
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: South
Posts: 997
Late Sept. don't remember exact date, around 27th or 28th.
BOS-LAX then drove to Palm Springs for 4 days of golf that had been booked well before. It was on United, same gate area as one of the 9/11 planes that took off from Boston. Kind of eerie thinking about that. Plane was about 1/4 to 1/3 full.
I was sitting in Business and in first there was only 1 passenger.... a middle eastern man about 30 years old. You can imagine the rest of the passengers being a little concerned about that as they walked by to thei seats. I swear if this guy stretched his arms or legs, the rest of the pax would drop what they were doing and watch him like hawks. When he went to the bathroom, you could hear a pin drop; nobody talked, nobody moved until he sat back in his seat. I felt kinda bad for the guy but given the time/circumstances what can you do?
BOS-LAX then drove to Palm Springs for 4 days of golf that had been booked well before. It was on United, same gate area as one of the 9/11 planes that took off from Boston. Kind of eerie thinking about that. Plane was about 1/4 to 1/3 full.
I was sitting in Business and in first there was only 1 passenger.... a middle eastern man about 30 years old. You can imagine the rest of the passengers being a little concerned about that as they walked by to thei seats. I swear if this guy stretched his arms or legs, the rest of the pax would drop what they were doing and watch him like hawks. When he went to the bathroom, you could hear a pin drop; nobody talked, nobody moved until he sat back in his seat. I felt kinda bad for the guy but given the time/circumstances what can you do?
Feb 8, 2006, 2:25 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,565
12 September at 02:50, British Airways flight 292 (iirc) from Riyadh to London. Crew were a bit edgy and there were a few other 'escaping' expats but otherwise pretty normal.
Flew back again on the 19th September when my boss realised that the entire world wasn't about to be consumed in war
Flew back again on the 19th September when my boss realised that the entire world wasn't about to be consumed in war
Feb 8, 2006, 3:01 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Portland
Posts: 11,572
September 13, 2001: Cathay Pacific from DPS (Bali) to HKG. We were then supposed to connect same day to HKG-SFO but, of course, that flight was canceled. We ended up flying HKG-SFO on the 15th, in the way back of an extremely packed 340.
Ironically, there was only one customs person working when the flight arrived at SFO, and he just stood by the door taking forms - no questions asked. There's no way anyone could have been sent for further screening. Perhaps all the F/C pax were taken for further screening leaving just the one guy at the door for the Y pax.
Ironically, there was only one customs person working when the flight arrived at SFO, and he just stood by the door taking forms - no questions asked. There's no way anyone could have been sent for further screening. Perhaps all the F/C pax were taken for further screening leaving just the one guy at the door for the Y pax.
Feb 8, 2006, 3:13 pm
#30
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 14,260
September 19th from Seattle to Spokane. I flew Horizon Airlines on a Dash-8. There were six or seven other passengers and all I remember was how everyone was making eye contact with each before the flight. Sort of a "you look ok to me" kind of subliminal message I suppose.