Cell phone delays plane Nov 17th.

[Irving]

Go here, read the short article, then read the comments below.

http://www.khou.com/news/Phone-call-delays-Houston-bound-AirTran-flight-70369417.html

Anyone in law enforcement able to look into this and see if it can be verified?

Comments in question:



yehudi said on November 30, 2009 at 8:01 PM
This was MUCH more than a man with a cell phone! See this story of the TRUTH! One week ago, I went to Ohio on business and to see my father. On Tuesday, November the 17th, I returned home. If you read the papers the 18th you may have seen a blurb where a AirTran flight was cancelled from Atlanta to Houston due to a man who refused to get off of his cell phone before takeoff. It was on Fox. This was NOT what happened. I was in 1st class coming home. 11 Muslim men got on the plane in full attire. 2 sat in 1st class and the rest peppered themselves throughout the plane all the way to the back. As the plane taxied to the runway the stewardesses gave the safety spiel we are all so familiar with. At that time, one of the men got on his cell and called one of his companions in the back and proceeded to talk on the phone in Arabic very loudly and very aggressively. This took the 1st stewardess out of the picture for she repeatedly told the man that cell phones were not permit

yehudi said on November 30, 2009 at 8:03 PM
To which one of the men said “shut up infidel dog!” She went to take the camcorder and he began to scream in her face in Arabic. At that exact moment, all 11 of them got up and started to walk the cabin. This is where I had had enough! I got up and started to the back where I heard a voice behind me from another Texan twice my size say “I got your back.” I grabbed the man who had been on the phone by the arm and said “you WILL go sit down or you Will be thrown from this plane!” As I “led” him around me to take his seat, the fellow Texan grabbed him by the back of his neck and his waist and headed out with him. I then grabbed the 2nd man and said, “You WILL do the same!” He protested but adrenaline was flowing now and he was going to go. As I escorted him forward the plane doors open and 3 TSA agents and 4 police officers entered. Me and my new Texan friend were told to cease and desist for they had this under control. I was happy to oblige actually.

yehudi said on November 30, 2009 at 8:05 PM
There was some commotion in the back, but within moments, all 11 were escorted off the plane. They then unloaded their luggage. We talked about the occurrence and were in disbelief that it had happen, when suddenly, the door open again and on walked all 11!! Stone faced, eyes front and robotic (the only way I can describe it). The stewardess from the back had been in tears and when she saw this, she was having NONE of it! Being that I was up front, I heard and saw the whole ordeal. She told the TSA agent there was NO WAY she was staying on the plane with these men. The agent told her they had searched them and were going to go through their luggage with a fine tooth comb and that they were allowed to proceed to Houston. The captain and co-captain came out and told the agent “we and our crew will not fly this plane!” After a word or two, the entire crew, luggage in tow, left the plane. 5 minutes later, the cabin door opened again and a whole new crew walked on.

yehudi said on November 30, 2009 at 8:05 PM
Again…..this is where I had had enough!!! I got up and asked “What the hell is going on!?!?” I was told to take my seat. They were sorry for the delay and I would be home shortly. I said “I’m getting off this plane”. The stewardess sternly told me that she could not allow me to get off. (now I’m mad!) I said “I am a grown man who bought this ticket, who’s time is mine with a family at home and I am going through that door, or I’m going through that door with you under my arm!! But I am going through that door!!” And I heard a voice behind me say “so am I”. Then everyone behind us started to get up and say the same. Within 2 minutes, I was walking off that plane where I was met with more agents who asked me to write a statement. I had 5 hours to kill at this point so why the hell not. Due to the amount of people who got off that flight, it was cancelled. I was supposed to be in Houston at 6pm. I got here at 12:30am.

yehudi said on November 30, 2009 at 8:06 PM
Look up the date. Flight 297 Atlanta to Houston. If this wasn’t a dry run, I don’t know what one is. The terrorists wanted to see how TSA would handle it, how the crew would handle it, and how the passengers would handle it. I’m telling this to you because I want you to know…. The threat is real. I saw it with my own eyes…. -Tedd Petruna

[rhineoshott]

They say "stupid man for not getting off his phone"

I say "stupid rules for not just flying anyway"

[Irving]

So I posted this here, but I am increasingly skeptical of it. Just trying to summarize it to someone else makes it sound stupid. This is a new skill I've been investigating. Hear something juicy? See how it sounds when you try to explain it before you go and make yourself look like a dummy (remember the comment about US troops taking and using AK's after fixing the headspace?)

[Irving]

They say "stupid man for not getting off his phone"

I say "stupid rules for not just flying anyway"

You have to read the comments.

[Ranger353]

"Look up the date. Flight 297 Atlanta to Houston. If this wasn’t a dry run, I don’t know what one is. The terrorists wanted to see how TSA would handle it, how the crew would handle it, and how the passengers would handle it. I’m telling this to you because I want you to know…. The threat is real. I saw it with my own eyes…."

Okay, now this is much different than the media blurb. I have not heard this story before and I will say that it should be substantiated before we go off half cocked. Something like this would have been documented, I'll ask around.

[Irving]

Thank you, that's exactly what I was looking for.

[rhineoshott]

You have to read the comments.

Ahhh the lights have come on! You mean like more than my abbreviated version of reading the comments (just the first four), but the whole story. Very interesteng. Hmm.

[Irving]

I just decided to add the comments in question to the first post to make it easier. I should have done it that way to start. Sorry about that.

[TFOGGER]

I have a friend at TSA....I'll see what he can find out.

[Irving]

I have a friend at TSA....I'll see what he can find out.

Hey, I've always been under the impression that all TSA employees were recruited directly from various bus stops around the country. Can you let me know what he says about that as well please? ;)

[iamhunter]

That's a bullshit internet rumor.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/a/airtran297.htm

This kind of stuff happens often enough. Malicious kids with to much time on their hands and not enough attention given to them.

[Ranger353]

This is pure BS. Verified by 2 sources, or I should say unverified story. This is an unusual story too because of the level of details that are given makes it seem pretty plausible, but it is BULLSHIT straight and pure. [Recon]

[Irving]

Thanks for looking into it guys.

The similarities between the internet story and what the airline is report is still very interesting to me though.

[Bailey Guns]

How'd they come up with a replacement crew in 5 minutes of the original crew deplaning?

That would lead me to believe the story is BS.

[theGinsue]

Both stories (the one posted by Sturtle and the TruthorFiction account) may be BS, but they both make for good reads.

[Troublco]

Okay, I did some digging, and here's what I found:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/flight297.asp

This is a pretty good rumor verification/debunking site.

[sniper7]

I ride on Airtran a lot and never heard of it. so not even verifying any of the info I will call BS.
It is feasible to have another crew there in close to 5 minutes, but at that point the previous captain could have informed the new captain not to take the flight, or talk to the chief pilots and get the flight canceled.

[RobertB]

I remember that "weird Arab guys doing a dry run for a terrorist attack" from several years back. I suppose it comes around fairly often.

[jerrymrc]

Hey, I've always been under the impression that all TSA employees were recruited directly from various bus stops around the country. Can you let me know what he says about that as well please? ;)

From my recent travels it would be my guess that they are ex ACORN employees. Just an observation mind ya.

[rondog]

TSA = Tub Stacking Assholes. Sorry, don't care for the arrogant bastards.

[theGinsue]

From my recent travels it would be my guess that they are ex ACORN employees. Just an observation mind ya.

Word is that they used ACORN for the recent elections in Afghanistan. The results had to be thrown out and the election rerun after they found that Obama had won the election.

[Coffee]

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I recently traveled to China and their border people were more polite than the TSA agents here. I actually reasoned with and worked out a problem with one of their security people, with out speaking the same language.

[sniper7]

Word is that they used ACORN for the recent elections in Afghanistan. The results had to be thrown out and the election rerun after they found that Obama had won the election.

[Coffee]

I thought that was in Kenya?[Swim]

[TFOGGER]

Talked to my friend at TSA. He's one of the actual security types you never see(former active duty US Army Special Forces), not one of the "glorified coat check girls"(his words...LOL) at the security checkpoints. Anyhow, he says this never happened. They have removed a number of "questionable" characters from planes on the tarmac in recent months, but these cases never make the news because they are handled quietly and professionally.

[DocMedic]

TSA = Tub Stacking Assholes. Sorry, don't care for the arrogant bastards.

I about fell out of my chair after that one.[ROFL2]