Preparing? On a transatlantic flight with no foot-room or head-space? Just how were they supposed to prepare anything when they could hardly deploy their tray-tables because they were all pressed up against the seats in front of them? Maybe they had explosives in their shoes or their underwear but they couldn’t reach the chemical fuses because their arms were pinned to their sides by the people scrunched up next to them.
They were probably in first class.
Heard that some overseas airlines are now offering a "sedate" class. If you are willing to be sedated they have a special section that "stacks" you vertically with just an inch or so clearance to the next "sedated and stacked" pax. A nurse accompanies each flight.Check it out.
Did you read about what they had in their checked baggage?
Holland is probably not as PC as our country or as infested with organizations like the ACLU. They are actually able to detain people planning an attack. They don’t have to wait until the attack has occurred like we do here.