View Full Version : More Suspicious Passengers removed from Another Flight...
Warrior-Mentor
12-12-2009, 23:41
Don't confuse this with the Air Tran Flight...
This one is United Airlines Flight 227.
United Airlines passengers removed from flight at Denver airport
by Chris Vanderveen
12/10/2009 9:13:19 PM
DENVER - It's not entirely clear why some passengers were removed from a plane at Denver International Airport on Wednesday. United Airlines issued a statement suggesting that the passengers were "re-accommodated" onto another flight.
A spokesperson for the Denver Police Department confirms to 9NEWS that Denver Police officers were called to DIA on Wednesday, but declined to elaborate any further.
Flight 227 left DIA bound for Los Angeles nearly three hours late. It was scheduled to depart at 1:50 p.m., but ended up leaving at 4:32 p.m.
"Our crew followed recognized, industry standard procedures and re-accommodated some passengers on another flight. We are investigating this matter," read a Thursday morning statement from United. A United spokesperson declined to elaborate any further as well.
The United crew apparently noticed certain patterns they are trained to spot. Sources tell NBC News airline employees are trained to look for certain behaviors such as how a ticket is paid for, how often passengers get up to use the restroom, and even who their traveling companions are.
A spokesperson for the FBI, Kathy Wright, confirmed to 9NEWS that federal investigators were originally called to the scene after receiving a call on a "possible suspicious incident." Wright said eventually "we determined that it was not an FBI matter."
Passengers say a bomb-sniffing dog was brought onto the plane and passengers in the first-class cabin we're asked to go back to coach for a brief amount of time according to passengers on the plane.
John Sloan of Oxnard, California, was on board the flight on Wednesday.
"I have never seen flight attendants so scared in my life. Everything turned out OK, but it was not a very good feeling. It would have been nice to have been updated though this process," he told 9NEWS by phone.
Sloan says seven men were escorted off of the plane. Two of them were sitting in coach. The other five were sitting in first-class, he says. All were re-booked onto another flight according to United.
Sloan says the men were attempting to change seats with other passengers. Another passenger, who doesn't want his name used, says the men were also trying to move luggage while the plane was getting ready to push back.
Passengers tell 9NEWS all of the men looked to be "Middle Eastern," but United will not confirm the identity of the seven men.
Nothing criminal was found, and the flight was allowed to continue on to California.
Passengers also tell 9NEWS that former head coach of the Denver Broncos, Mike Shanahan, was seated in first class while this was all going on. Shanahan could not be reached for comment, and a spokesperson for the former coach simply told 9NEWS that he was "out of town."
There have been no arrests and investigators say there is no criminal investigation in connection to the incident.
If you have any information about what happened on Flight 227 on Thursday,
please e-mail us at chris.vanderveen@9news.com.
SOURCE:
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=128639&catid=339
probes looking for a weakness in the system and seeing the response time of the police they seem to be stepping this up lately
Warrior-Mentor
12-13-2009, 11:41
probes looking for a weakness in the system and seeing the response time of the police they seem to be stepping this up lately
And conditioning people and airlines to fear reporting this activity...(search Flying Imams lawsuit)
Or - based on what was reported - it could be drug related... :confused:
Richard
The United crew apparently noticed certain patterns they are trained to spot. Sources tell NBC News airline employees are trained to look for certain behaviors such as how a ticket is paid for, how often passengers get up to use the restroom, and even who their traveling companions are.
all men. :eek:
AQ's TTPs will change too. I hope we are able to adapt as well.
Or - based on what was reported - it could be drug related... :confused:Or loud-mouthed drunken asshattery. Or even H1N1 "symptoms".:confused:
dirtyshirt
12-13-2009, 19:15
Or feints.
Pat
That was my thought as well.
If I'm flying...sit your ass down, shut-up and do as your told! Or, I'll be escorted from the plane for fighting.
Its been close to a year since I've been home and my tolerance for "stupidity" is extremely low. Too be extemely honest with you folks...
I need my wife warm embrace, kisses etc.:D So have NO doubt what-so-ever!
I WILL FUCK YOU UP!:mad: If you impede my journey with stupidity!:lifter
Stay safe.
AngelsSix
12-17-2009, 16:53
I was at RDU with a couple of my friends on Tuesday to pick up their dad when a young lady and her oversized purse were "escorted" through the area by security, just as a flight was disembarking its passengers. There are still people running drugs through the airlines....the TSA screeners are mostly crap, IMO. I watched several of them sashay throught the terminal and I was instantly disgusted. Most of them had their pants down around their asses. I am tired of the way things are going..........:(
Passengers say a bomb-sniffing dog was brought onto the plane and passengers in the first-class cabin we're asked to go back to coach for a brief amount of time according to passengers on the plane.
FWIW to those who may not have understood the reference in my previous post - I was referring to:
(1) Source of info
(2) Most dogs are trained for weapons, explosives, and drugs
However - it certainly would be nice to know what sparked the interest of the authorities in this matter.
Richard
Warrior-Mentor
12-20-2009, 17:43
December 20, 2009
Terror Test-Runs on Airlines?
By John Leonard
After my article on the biazarre incident on AirTran Flight 297 was published, one reader going by the initials VHG said something that immediately caught my attention. The comment referred to an apparently similar occurrence that happened on United Airlines flight #227 in Denver on December 9th,, only two days before my article appeared.
While the story of that flight continues to unfold, I believe it is time again to update American Thinkers with the current state of the developments surrounding these stories.
Chris Vanderveen from 9News.com in Colorado interviewed passengers from the plane that was reportedly delayed because of the suspicious behavior by a group of men during pre-flight preparations. Although the one passenger from the flight with whom I spoke that agreed to be quoted on condition of anonymity described the incident from his vantage point as "not that big of a deal," the fact that passengers were removed from the plane and not allowed to re-board, plus that bomb-sniffing dogs checked the luggage before the plane was allowed to depart from the gate, simply suggests that the action that caused the flight delay occurred outside his line of sight.
Bad behavior causing flight disruptions is not uniquely limited to individuals belonging to certain ethnic groups. Flights have been rerouted or delayed by the actions of drunken or stupid travelers of practically every nationality. The most famous security breach at Hartsfield airport in Atlanta involved a 32-year-old caucasian man who forced temporary closure of the entire airport while trying to evade security in order to make his flight in time to attend a football game. However, those incidents tend to be isolated, not repeated.
Given the differences between the official AirTran account of the incident and those of multiple passengers allegedly on the flight, I contacted Christopher White of AirTran hoping to resolve those discrepancies. Specifically, I asked Mr. White if AirTran planned to revise its official statement describing the incident as simply a customer service issue that occurred due to a relatively minor miscommunication involving a single passenger. I referred Mr. White to the interview of a passenger named Brown by WSB TV. In that interview, Mr. Brown indicated that multiple passengers were engaged in behavior significantly more disconcerting than that described by the rather innocuous account given by AirTran.
Mr. White's response to the questions I posed regarding Mr. Brown's version of what happened was confusing to say the least. Mr. White had no problem reiterating the point that the story originated from an e-mail attributed to one specific passenger. AirTran took great pains to discredit this individual. They refused to discuss comments made by other passengers of a similar nature but without the sensational details.
When asked to reconcile the difference between Mr. Brown's statement (that his experience was one of the most alarming he'd undergone in twenty years of frequent flying) against the "customer service" issue characterization by AirTran and the TSA, Mr. White responded:
I believe Mr. Brown is accurately portraying his perception of what happened. His perspective is limited to the cabin. For example. He suggested we contact the police and "expected blue lights to meet the plane. [e-mail 12/16/09 2:46 pm from Christopher White of AirTran to me]
On the other hand, when I wrote,
I'm not trying to accuse AirTran of any wrongdoing, but I am saying it appears your official report appears to have some serious factual discrepancies with the accounts already out there, from Mr. Brown in particular. Have you spoken to Mr. Brown or are you familiar with his account? [same email]
Mr. White's answer was simply "No."
No what? No, he's not familiar with Brown's account or no, he hasn't spoken with him? Mr. White's answers to the remainder of my questions were equally blunt: No, I may not speak with the flight crew. No, AirTran won't revise its story no matter what people actually on the plane have said. In other words, that's our story, and we're sticking to it.
Saying Mr. White provided more information than United Airlines' spokeswoman regarding flight 227 to this point isn't saying much. United says they are still investigating the incident a week after it happened. Their spokeswoman wrote back,
[W]e have not publicly reported what may or may not have happened onboard. As part of our commitment to safety, any conversation we have with another airline about security is a private matter.
Her last sentence is a response to my question as to whether any common denominators between the incidents on Flight #297 and Flight #227 have been discussed with either TSA officials or AirTran.
In Vanderveen's article on Flight #227, he reported that bomb-sniffing dogs were brought aboard the plane, which was confirmed by the passenger with whom I spoke. The men forced to deplane were described as "attempting to change seats with other passengers," and another said "the men were trying to move luggage around while the plane was getting ready to push back."
In both cases, the planes were delayed, passengers were inconvenienced and unduly alarmed, and by most accounts, the flight crews on both planes were frightened out of their wits.
Common Denominators
The situation that allegedly occurred on United flight #227 seems to have a few common denominators with what apparently happened on AirTran. In both cases, a group of men apparently of Middle Eastern descent exhibited enough strange behavior to concern the pilots, flight crew, and other passengers enough into delaying the flight, resulting in inconvenience to the passengers and unnecessary expense for the airlines.
Warrior-Mentor
12-20-2009, 17:44
Chronology of Pattern Behavior
Once the point had been reached where additional information is no longer forthcoming about these two flights in the foreseeable future, I didn't know where to look for more information. An experienced reporter working on these stories suggested I turn my attention backwards to seeing whether any dots could be connected to incidents on past flights.
America West Flight 90 -- Nov 19, 1999. In this pre-September 11th incident, two passengers speaking Arabic roamed the plane without permission and attempted to enter the cockpit in what has been described by the 9/11 commission in their report as a dry run. "Students" Muhammed al-Qudhaieen and Hamdan al-Shalawi were placed in custody and removed from the flight. Bomb-sniffing dogs were brought to search the plane. The airline was sued for discrimination, but the case was dismissed.
Northwest Flight 327 -- Jun 29, 2004. Described by flight marshals as a terrorist dry run, thirteen men of Syrian descent changed seats, congregated in the aisles, used the bathrooms excessively, appeared nervous, and behaved in a strange manner long enough to draw attention and concern from fellow passengers. Air marshals on the plane instructed the flight crew to radio ahead for law enforcement to meet the plane when it landed in Los Angeles.
US Airways Flight 300 -- November 20, 2006. The infamous case of the flying imams, who allegedly changed seats in order to take control of every entry and exit route from the plane, ignored their assigned seats, requested unnecessary seat belt extensions, and disrupted the flight. The unused seat belt extenders were left lying on the airplane floor. Hmmm. Webbed strap belts with metal heads attached -- why would anyone be concerned about that? Who worries about customers acting strangely who make obviously unnecessary and unusual special requests?
The imams were removed from the plane but cried discrimination after the fact. They sued the airline and received an undisclosed settlement. CAIR and the imams declared victory.
AirTran Flight 175 -- Jan 1, 2009. According to an article published by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, nine Muslims traveling to an Islamic conference were removed from the plane after two members of the group allegedly engaged in a debate about the safest location to sit in the event of a bombing on the plane. The conversation alarmed other passengers, who alerted the flight crew and caused the plane to be diverted. According to Doug Hagmann in the Canada Free Press:
[N]one of the remaining 95 passengers made it to their ultimate destinations on time, AirTran refunded some tickets and made other booking arrangements due to the incident, which cost the airline dearly in time, money, and passenger goodwill.
A press release from AirTran found at EuroInvestor.co.uk incredibly reported that AirTran actually rewarded the nine Muslims who disrupted the flight, saying:
The airline has refunded the air fares of the nine passengers detained for questioning, has agreed to reimburse the passengers for expenses incurred by taking another airline and has also offered to transport the passengers home to Washington, DC, free of charge.
So let me get this straight: the nine Muslims who caused the flight delay and scared other passengers profited from their misconduct? Their airfare was refunded and they got a free flight home? Sounds like a pretty good deal to me...is this a great country, or what?
United flight 22 -- September 28, 2009. According to the KTLA.com, two men of apparent Middle Eastern descent were removed from a flight at LAX, and the flight was delayed while the bomb squad searched the plane. An article in the LA Times reported the incident as follows:
A law enforcement source said at least one of the men ran into a restroom on the plane and appeared to hide while the New York-bound jet was taxiing on the runway, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing.
AirTran 297 -- Nov 17, 2009. A group of ethnic passengers used electronic devices on tarmac preparing for takeoff, changed seats, moved around, ignored flight attendants' instructions, and caused flight delay as the plane returned to terminal.
UA 227 -- Dec 9, 2009. A group of passengers believed to be of Middle Eastern descent changed seats and allegedly moved other passengers' luggage at the gate while the plane prepared for departure, prompting their removal from the flight and bomb-sniffing dogs to check the baggage.
Two possibilities that come immediately to mind are either that these incidents are orchestrated as a ploy to create a scenario to litigate for profit like the imams from US Airways Flight 300 -- or something more sinister is in the works. In the aftermath of Fort Hood, can we afford to ignore warning signs of abnormal or pattern behavior any longer?
John Leonard can be reached at johnleonard@mindspring.com. His first book, titled Hybrid Theory: Reconciling Creationism and Evolution Theory, is awaiting publication.
SOURCE:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/12/terror_test_runs_on_airlines.html