Or did you just forget to put in a < /sarcasm> tag?
Posted on 07/14/2002 6:46:48 AM PDT by Israel Insider
Israel's consul general in New York, Alon Pinkas, was denied a seat on a National Airlines flight from San Francisco when the plane's pilot screamed at security personnel, "I don't care what you do, he will not get onto my plane." The pilot said that Pinkas's presence would endanger all the other passengers on the flight.
The incident occurred Thursday night, Yediot Aharonot reported, shortly after Pinkas had completed public relations work in San Francisco. He was due to return to New York on the National Airlines flight. Upon his arrival at the airport, security officials informed the pilot that the Israeli consul would be getting on board the flight, and the pilot responded that he would not fly the plane if there was an Israeli diplomat aboard.
According to media reports, the pilot nearly had a temper tantrum in the airport terminal as he argued with police officers who demanded that he let Pinkas board the plane. The manager of National Airlines' San Francisco office threatened the pilot that if the press reported on the incident, the pilot would lose his job.
The pilot apparently broke down in tears, and was said to be close to a nervous breakdown. Pinkas saw what was happening, and asked to be booked on a different flight. In the end, he returned to New York on Continental Airlines.
"It appears to be the case of one stupid guy and not a systemic problem," Pinkas said.
San Francisco Police registered an official complaint against the pilot, and the United States State Department is investigating the incident. Sources at Israel's Foreign Ministry said that they would file a complaint with National Airlines, asking that the pilot be disciplined.
Perhaps the issue isn't racism, but rather airline security (or complete lack thereof). IOW, I suspect this pilot didn't fear the Israeli, but the Muslim(s) who could have certainly got on board to take down the plane, due to this high profile Jewish passenger.
Maybe the pilot is about to have a nervous breakdown, because he sees major security lapses all day every day, and if afraid it's just a matter of time before Allah punches a ticket on one of his flights.
this has already occurred on more than one US flight-cannot remember specifics
Shall we segregate flights by race?
when and if times get tougher, per the media, etc.-i think we're at that point since 9/11-profiling incorporating physical characteristics, along w/others will be needed/used.
However, a consul for Israel is not permitted to take a seat.
It is not just the pilot who is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. A society that countenances such behavior has clearly gone over the edge into stark, raving insanity. One cannot help wondering if the national anthem shouldn't be changed to "They're coming to take me away."
Lol. I do believe you two are holding out for a statement from CAIR.
...One final point: when's the last time we've heard of an Arab denied flight due to his ethnicity?
I'm wondering if these kinds of consequences are really unintended.
If only El Al flew more domestic routes...
Is a Station Manager higher-ranking?
"Uh yeah, over here ... "
And then the conversation led to "Where are you from and how is it that fate has not yet intervened to save mankind from your exploits?" kind of things.
The co-pilot was a Vietnam War, DC-3 vet. There ensued a pleasant conversation.
The landing at Cincinnati was good, other than having walked away from it.
Or did you just forget to put in a < /sarcasm> tag?
I thought LarryLied/"Voegelin" had been trying that angle for years?
What an odd claim - "emotionally dishonest". No, I really do think that you're waiting for something like one of those fatwas that CAIR pops out in their need to meddle in American affairs. Like over that Secret Service agent that was automagically suddenly represented by CAIR.
As for "emotionally dishonest", I don't think I've ever hidden the fact that I loathe you and your fellow-travelling jihad sympathizers. Not that I tend to become overly emotional about it, of course ;).
But I do agree, I would love to hear the pilots side of the story first.
The station manager might, in this scenario, call down there to ____ and ask the dispatcher to halt operations of the aircraft; and please get an OK to replace the pilot; and then ... after a typically long wait, the flight proceeds when a replacement pilot is found.
However, the pilot is right, he's the boss on board the aircraft.
That's more or less what I thought. But in any case, the passenger seem to have gone to another airline pretty fast when things got messy.
Bet National is on a certain "do not use" list from now on, though.
LOL!
If any of this is true, then this pilot needs to be addressed. This is irrational behavior on part of any pilot. Again the human factor plays a critical role in threat potential.
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