Terrorist Threat

[CliveV]

The adjacent thread seems to degenerated into a migrant/forigner bashing farce. Which is sad because I have just got back from droping off my son at Stanstead were he (hopefully) is now in the air on his way to Venice.

We arrived just after 3:00 am this morning had a coffee and waited for check in to open.

Then there was Police with machine guns all over the place.

Then an announcment that no hand baggage at all was to be allowed.

Then we were told that no mobile phones, ipod's etc were even to be carried onto the plane.

The confussion was great complicated by the range of nationalities trying to figure out what is going on.

A young French lady from Ryan Air was superb and explained everything she could is various languages as required by the customers she dealt with.

Once the enormity of what was going on was realised all just got on with it.

On reflection everybody there at Stansted reacted well - I hope it continues to be so as the queues get longer as the day progresses.

Hopefully my son on a very early flight will get away ok. But without his mobile phone (had to to be checked in) to let me know what is happening I feel more than a bit lost. Mobiles are such a "normal" item these days it is horrible not to be able to get in touch.

The most shocking thing to see was the Police with machine guns stopping and checking cars as the enterred the airport. So as I left at about 5:00 am I knew something a bit unusual was going on.

Not untill the 6:00 news on R4 did I hear what it was all about.

 

[TripHazard]

Hope your son got away ok CliveV and is safe (stuck in the jail i havent heard the news since i left home at 12.00)

Its a terrible world we're living in when people go to the extreme of mass murder to bring attention to their cause and are happy to cause so much terror and carnage in the name of any God.(who im sure will be a very unhappy bunny)

As a lover rather than a fighter i struggle to understand how anyone can hurt maime or kill anyone else. You would think with 20 years as a prison officer under my belt i would understand it but alas it escapes me.

Stay safe everyone

Martin

 

[Lutz]

I hope everything sorts itself out during before the 13th September when I fly back to Germany. I brought a whole lot of stuff over in my hand luggage, including my laptop etc. and don't know how to get it back if it all has to go into the suitcase. Originally, I had planned to drive and take the ferry, which would have avoided the problem, but then urgent personal matters forced me to fly out earlier instead. I hope Stansted gets back to normal by the time I return.

 

[chelsea1]

I work at Exeter Airport and have come home from a horrendous day at work.

Generally though passengers were civil, understanding and co-operative...you get the odd few that still grumble, expect to be treated like royalty and think its our fault.

I think this no check in baggage will be in place for some time yet.

If you are flying in the next couple of days my advice is to call your airline before you set off, arrive in very good time - 2 hours for domestic and min 3 hours for international (more if you can)..expect lots of searching of all baggage and even your shoes etc.

 

[PC_5119929]

Through are works system we see various "reports".

One such reports links these threats to some middle aged and retired white "English" caravanners out for revenge re blame for global warming and scaremongering re Chelsea Tractors compared to Airline Pollution.

Another , technically brilliant travellers at odds with the unjust stigma that labels them as the likely cause of most caravan thefts and brands them wasters and system misfits always avoiding authority and fouting laws and common curtesy.

On the other hand could this lead to the border controls and inquisitions that many would like to see so that we trust our neighbours whatever their backgroud or ethnicity.

If you want harmony you need checks that people respect and trust.

 

[CliveV]

Good news - he got out on one of the last flights out of Stansted. A three hour delay but that is NO problem.

Have to say Ryanair - despite a bit of negative feedback on this airline in the press etc. - has been nothing short of excellent.

Cool calm and in control at the airport and when I did manage to finaly get through to someone on the number published on their website (you can hardly blame them for delays in answering in view of the situation) the lady on the phone went out of her way to find out what had happend to my sons flight.

After that was sorted I went to bed and have only just surfaced.

We have had a text to say that he is with his friends and having a beer.

I am about to do the same

Many Many thanks for all the good wishes.

Much appreciated

 

[CliveV]

Hope your son got away ok CliveV and is safe (stuck in the jail i havent heard the news since i left home at 12.00)

Its a terrible world we're living in when people go to the extreme of mass murder to bring attention to their cause and are happy to cause so much terror and carnage in the name of any God.(who im sure will be a very unhappy bunny)

As a lover rather than a fighter i struggle to understand how anyone can hurt maime or kill anyone else. You would think with 20 years as a prison officer under my belt i would understand it but alas it escapes me.

Stay safe everyone

Martin

Watching the news they were saying about the problems young families were having with their feeds etc. It occurs to me that this inhuman sub-species that would set off a bomb on an aircraft is targetting the same young hardly weaned children (along with all of the rest of us of course) for their acts of mindless violence.

Whatever or whoever is your God - it/she/he cannot condone such actions.

 

[CliveV]

Watching the news they were saying about the problems young families were having with their feeds etc. It occurs to me that this inhuman sub-species that would set off a bomb on an aircraft is targetting the same young hardly weaned children (along with all of the rest of us of course) for their acts of mindless violence.

Whatever or whoever is your God - it/she/he cannot condone such actions.

 

[PC_5119929]

Comm's services have been under obvious pressure today.

Is it any wonder with roads blocked and arrests to be made etc plus the international implications and communication needs.

He may have fun getting back as there are going to be some big changes we hear.

Thank god for the mobile.

 

[CliveV]

Through are works system we see various "reports".

One such reports links these threats to some middle aged and retired white "English" caravanners out for revenge re blame for global warming and scaremongering re Chelsea Tractors compared to Airline Pollution.

Another , technically brilliant travellers at odds with the unjust stigma that labels them as the likely cause of most caravan thefts and brands them wasters and system misfits always avoiding authority and fouting laws and common curtesy.

On the other hand could this lead to the border controls and inquisitions that many would like to see so that we trust our neighbours whatever their backgroud or ethnicity.

If you want harmony you need checks that people respect and trust.

What the hell have you been drinking?

 

[PC_5119929]

Sad to say that your words will fall on deaf ears with such people Clive.

I'll bet a kings ransome that they believe they are the chosen race, creed or religeon and the the rest of us are failed souls beyond help and not worthy of humanitarian reasoning.

 

[CliveV]

Agreed - if I have leant one thing in life, it is that no one thing/person/ideal or idea is absolutely right. The nazi's believed they were the master race, the terrorists that were caught yesterday believe that only they are right and therefore can kill and maim others to get what they want.

But the Koran specifically says that other religions and peoples must be respected.

The Muslim community must do more to isolate and nullify the extremists - if they do not I fear a backlash.