Letters to the Editor
wingover
Published Letters: 16 Editor's Choice: 4
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Facts on freight and coffins
[Read the article: Fallen hero -- or freight?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As disheartening as it sounds, yes, bodies of loved ones are transported as 'freight'.. I am currently and airline pilot but was a military transport pilot in the first Gulf War. Yes, flag draped coffins are transported on cargo craft, but there are very specific rules on how they are boarded, and stuff may not be placed on top of the casing. They are handled with great respect. At my airline, coffins with loved ones are regularly placed in the hold..where else or how else would you suggest that they be transported? They are also handled with great respect from my observation of the ground crew. I am with you on the whole Bush is a jerk for hiding our fallen heroes issue..bigtime..I want the hell out of this war..it is wrong.. But this article is off the mark.
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Comment part II
[Read the article: Fallen hero -- or freight?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]..I wrote earlier about this subject regarding transport of coffins on board commercial/military aircraft.. I have forwarded the San Diego story to the CEO of our airline to see if we can handle this situation better. Hopefully, my e-mail won't get ditched as spam..While I know this method of transport is 'normal', I understand why families are distressed about the method in which their departed war heroes arrive back to them.
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The best response...
[Read the article: Ann Coulter, a profile in courage]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...is no response at all at this point!
Ms. Coulter is unrepentant in any of her views, and revels in any attention..especially in negative, confrontational attention..
Unfortunately, 'we'(all sane people) give Ms. Coulter the very thing she loves when we make her a headline over her latest outrage. To marginalize and ignore this mini-skirted, scraw-chicken (I am trying to use 'family friendly' language here), would be her worst nightmare.. What if she were not written about? What if 'Good Morning America' had not invited her on their show? It seems like good policy that the press marginalizes terrorists by minimizing air time for their rantings..why not do the same for this heartless wench?
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Aircraft fact check
[Read the article: The Fix]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As a pilot I had to look up the purported tail number for Tom Cruise's plane..
Here is the link I used.. the National Enquirer claim is (unsurprisingly) BS
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/
Select the "N number" choice and fill in the rest of the tail number 800TC.
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Loved this article
[Read the article: Ask the pilot]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yes, I would like to see US carriers flying into exotic locales also! I am sick of the whole 'alliance' concept where one buys a ticket on United but ends up boarding a non-United plane to an overseas destination. Heck, I am dismayed about buying a ticket on United and boarding a USAir 'codeshare' flight to domestic destination too! Airlines are losing their once-proud identities through these 'bottom-line, money-making' deals..and in turn, customers, I think are being cheated. If I buy a ticket on American, for example, I want American Airlines trained crews, American Airlines maintained aircraft etc..not some weasel deal where I am shuffled off onto some codeshare 'partner'..OK done ranting..
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Between a rock and a hard place..
[Read the article: Is airport security futile?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Patrick,
You eloquently articulated the current frustration many of us feel with our new, terror-ridden world. My impression of the 'fluid' situation is this:
True, there were no consequences to travellers in the wake of the Phillipine plot because nothing happened. But since 9-11, the demons that have bothered security professionals for a long time (the old liquid explosive in the wine bottle scenario is an old one) seem more relevant. While the TSA attempts to 'get a handle on' the situation, this was what they felt they had to do for now. That said, I acknowledge that CNN, FOX etc are in the business of ensuring that we remain terrified at all times. News has evolved into the best reality show entertainment and as long as we, the public, choose to remain terrified and glued to the TV and the internet, the infinite loop of hysteria will not end. The airlines will continue to flail and the travelling public will opt out of flying altogether because of this hell we collectively enjoy courtesy of Muslim extremists and the media.
By the way..I notice that the big news alllll morning long today (8/17) is Jon Benet Ramsey
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Finding the Balance
[Read the article: Ask the pilot]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As an airline pilot, I am dismayed at the treatment of our passengers.. I glide past the long lines at the grossly understaffed ticket counters as people, trying their darndest to jump through the latest government hoop, check their bags and enter the People's Republic of the TSA (it's almost like the TSA is playing 'Simon Says' with the travelling public). This increasingly demeaning process of 'harass the customer' must stop.. I think that the sophisticated, behavior based screening that the Israelis do is one of the best deterrents to acts of terrorism.
That said, once we are airborne, I think that it is foolish to rationalize, mitigate or dismiss the observations of flight attendants or passengers who observe threatening behavior. I do my best to gather information when things are happening 'back there', but I will continue to make a conservative choice (divert etc) when I have to. This is my obligation. It is wonderful that for now these things are turning out to be nuts or sex-pots or cultural misunderstandings and these diversions are viewed as massive overreactions. But what a bummer if I blow-off my cabin crew's observations and it turns out poorly?
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Thank you
[Read the article: Streams of consciousness]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Your essay was amazing. I admire your courage and eloquence as you shared this painful experience. I hope that you are mending well.
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Laughing and crying
[Read the article: Mommie fearest]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This has to be the funniest and most accurate essay on motherhood I have read in a long time!! I will save it to my archives so my 'lamprey' can read it one day..