Posted on 09/19/2001 5:24:47 PM PDT by StormEye
My family and I just arrived in Baltimore, Maryland from Tampa, Florida after a two week vacation in Sarasota, Fl. Tampa International Airport was virtually deserted. I've never seen it like that before. No lines at check-in. The American Airlines check-in and boarding areas were practically idle. The mood at the airport was somber and quiet. It seemed like airlines employees were trying very hard to keep up a happy demeanor but one could sense the trepedation about flying in everyone.
My US Airways Metrojet flight was about three quarters full. It was a quiet, uneventfull trip. Really good flying weather. The plane actually left a few minutes early and arrived early in Baltimore. The US Air flight attendants were courteous and helpful but seemed to be keeping a wary eye on everyone on the plane. Row #1 one the left side was unoccupied except for a big and muscular black man who eyeballed anyone who went up to use the front toilet that is right next to the cockpit door. The Pilot and Co-pilot came out several times to use the toilet and have few few words with the flight attendants. The cockpit door did not appear to me to be locked during the flight, with flight attendants entering and leaving several times during the flight. The flight attandants appeared to be familiar with the muscular black guy. I wonder if he was some sort of security guy or Federal Marshall?
On arrival at Baltimore we saw long lines at the check-in counters and very heavy security -- quite different from Tampa International Airport. As far as security goes, it didn't seem that much different than when I went left for Florida two weeks ago. There were a few more security stops to go through and the searches were more involved.
I have an international flight in two weeks. Ugh. I haven't received a definitive statement on everything I have to do and have to leave behind. My family member sent me a copy of a statement to one of the Amer. embassies saying they have to be at the airport 3 hours beforehand; and that if they are not at the gate one hour beforehand, they will not be allowed to board.
Someone said you can't bring cell phones--do you know if that is true?
What other changes should we be prepared for?
I would doubt that this true. With the valuable serbice the cell fones provided for us during the emergency, I would highly doubt that they are banned. Without paxs calling from the skies we would no much less about what happened than we do now...
I don't know. I think he might have been some US Air security guy.
We we told to arrive at Tampa two hours before boarding.
Non ticketed people may not enter the boarding areas. My brother had to leave us at the tram which takes passengers out to the boarding area. He was not allowed at the boarding areas.
Cell phones, laptops, were allowed.
You have a point. In my opinion these cut backs are a mistake.
When I finally did get a flight out (yesterday), Charles DeGaulle airport didn't look too different in terms of the number of people there than when I changed planes there 3 weeks earlier, but the police/military presence couldn't be missed -- soldiers in camouflage carrying automatic weapons were omnipresent. We were asked to arrive 4 hours prior to our scheduled departure, and spent the majority of that time in one line or another. It was obvious upon my arrival in Charlotte that my checked luggage had been thoroughly searched, as was, of course, my carry-on bag. I was "patted down" and given a once-over with a hand-held metal detector in addition to going through the usual metal detector gateway.
The Paris to Charlotte flight itself was pretty ordinary; full, of course, which doesn't make for lots of fun on a 9 hour flight in steerage class. Hard to say whether there were guards on board; if so, they were unobtrusive. About the only difference I noted on the flight was that the two meals served were accompanied by the usual stainless steel spoon and fork, but by a plastic knife. A most uneventful, and very somber, flight. No banter from the Captain pointing out landmarks, no laughter from the flight attendants or the passengers. I had speculated to my seatmate that we'd steer a wide path around New York so as not to traumatize the passengers with a view of the altered skyline, but such was not the case. Passengers on the left had a clear view of Manhatten, and I heard them comment on the missing buildings. I, on the right side, was happy with my view of the upper Hudson Valley, and had no desire to look the other way.
Customs and baggage retrival in Charlotte was ordinary; sniffer dogs looking for drugs and/or food in luggage, and a spray disinfectant for shoes of those who had confessed to having been on farms (a thoroughly ineffective measure against hoof and mouth disease, depending as it does on the honesty of the passengers). The Charlotte airport, usually quite busy (it's a major USAirways hub) was like a ghost town. Less than 50% of domestic flights were operating, and it seemed far less than that. Heavy police presence there as well, mostly aimed at unattended cars and unattended baggage.
I was inconvenienced, I was frustrated, and I wanted to get home. All that, of course, was utterly trivial compared to the events which precipitated these measures. I'll gladly bear far more inconvenience, as well as financial damage, if that's the price to be paid for just retribution and a return to normality.
I have tickets to fly to the left coast in November,for the holiday..if I didnt already have the tickets I would not go...
I hate myself for feeling like that ..but I do!
I was in a similar situation. I have a three year old son and four month old daughter. We had to fly home. I'm just thankful it went smoothly.
I know. I feel very sorry for airline employees. They don't deserve this sort of treatment. But believe me -- I felt there was a very palpable "fear of flying" in the faces of many passengers.
Things are settling down a little bit, but you never know when security will clog up. FAA.gov gives the guidelines needed, and answers a LOT of questions. Also Virtually There Bulletin is another good resource for current travel info.
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