NWA Turns Back

[A4sForever]

[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]Dutch F-16s Escort Plane Back to Airport[/FONT]
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Aug 23, 10:37 AM (ET)

By TOBY STERLING[/FONT]
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(AP) The Northwest Airlines DC10 that was escorted back to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, by two Dutch F-16's

[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - Dutch F-16s escorted a Northwest Airlines flight bound for India back to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Wednesday after the crew reported some passengers were behaving suspiciously, authorities said.

[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]Several passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight NW0042 to Bombay were taken off the plane for questioning after it landed safely, airport spokeswoman Pamela Kuypers said. Others were questioned at the gate.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]The Dutch Defense Ministry and airport authorities said the pilot radioed for permission to return and asked for an escort of jet fighters when the crew's suspicions were aroused by several passengers.

[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]"A number of them behaved, in the opinion of the crew, in a suspicious manner," said a Defense Ministry statement. "As a result, the captain asked to return to Schiphol. The customs police have taken a number of people off the plane for questioning."

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060823/D8JM6G6O1.html

PERSONALLY ... I just think the pax were ticked-off at the prospect of riding a creaky old DC-10 all the way to Bombay ...
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[feddoc]

CNN confirms that 12 passengers have been arrested from the Northwest Airlines flight that was turned back to Amsterdam today.

A team of U.S. federal air marshals was on board Wednesday's flight and, along with the crew members, observed suspicious activity shortly after take-off, according to an unnamed U.S. government official.

^^^^^^^^^
From the CNN website.






Gotta wonder what they did.

 

[RHPF]

Probably went something like this:
Now?
No, not now.
Now?
No... not now.
Now?
Soon.

 

[HighDimension]

This is a question to the airline pilots on the forum. What ever came of arming pilots in the cockpit? I remember there was a big furor over the pilots having a weapon onboard, but I can't recall hearing much after that. One last follow-up, I would imagine the guys on the forum would support it, but would it have any negative aspects?

 

[raptor10]

but would it have any negative aspects?

What if they take the gun?
How much money does it cost to train all the pilots to use the weapons?
Is the airline willing to spend that money?

 

[HighDimension]

Is the airline willing to spend that money?

Good points, I agree that the airline probably wouldn't want to spend the money but I could see the Fed. Gov't subsidizing some of their training. It could be argued that if the pilot is armed, less air marshalls would be required on a flight since the pilot (or more likely, the first officer) could assist if anything happens. Besides, the government has already given the airlines a lot of money to help keep them on their feet, whats a little more ?

 

[Tex_Hill]

I'm not a pilot, but if I remember correctly, when they announced the program they said that the pilots themselves would be responsible for paying for their training and sidearm. Then of course you had some airlines banning the use of sidearms by aircrew because of a fear of the liability involved. The various pilots unions got involved & I forgot what happened then.

 

[gregsivers]

There are armed pilots. The govt has a big training facility in New Mexico, Artesia or Roswell I believe, where they train and certify them to carry. My dad works at American and said he's flown several times with pilots who are armed. I personally think its a good idea.

 

[FrankTheTank]

The program is called FFDO... And YES they are armed! Flown with a few but not sure why we have them except to skip the metal detectors and security checks... Ain't like the boxes are gonna take out the crew.. I worry more about stuff leaking out of the haz can than a jumpseater/stow-away but stranger things have happened here..

Read this if you have some time on your hands: www.tailstrike.com/070494.htm

The only problems I see with the program are 1.) You pay for your own training, weapon, and ammunition and 2.) Can be a big problem when deadheading with your gun or so I am told...

 

[FelixTheGreat]

I have a couple of friends who fly for SkyWest and they have their "gun in the cockpit permit". There is some application that you fill out online then you have to jump through a couple of more hoops.

 

[VetteMuscle427]

Anyone notice that ticket prices have dropped a bit? Just got a ticket for my girl to come to the Navy Ball for about 100 less than it normally would have been.

 

[East]

http://www.milspotters.nl/files/nw42_intercept.wav

12 suspects are still detained when arrested by the Dutch Military Police upon arrival at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

 

[A4sForever]

I'm telling you ... they went crazy when they realized they were facing the next 8 hours on a DC-10. I would ... and have ....

Reuters UPDATE: Dutch to free passengers arrested on flight to India http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...TRIDST_0_SECURITY-AIRLINES-DUTCH-UPDATE-4.XML

A slow boat to China is preferable to a DC-10 to Bombay ....

 

[gregsivers]

I'm surprised NW still flies DC-10s. Not a new aircraft by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[A4sForever]

I'm surprised NW still flies DC-10s. Not a new aircraft by any stretch of the imagination.

It's paid for in full ... and it's cheaper, in overall cost, than some of the new ones .... believe it. Plus ... NWA's in bankruptcy and they need to "poor-mouth" it for the reorganization plan in court.

In the glory days before aircraft leases and lease-backs ... NWA used to pay for ALL their aircraft on delivery, cash on the barrelhead @ Boeing, Seattle. A paper check, of course. They would have an armed courier in the cockpit with a satchel full of money -- I'm serious -- who would fly out to SEA on Friday and deposit the money in the company's local bank and present Boeing with a check. The idea was to "flloat" the check for 3-4 days over the weekend even though the $$$$ (check) was in Boeing's hands on Friday when the new bird was delivered.

They figured every little bit counts .... it worked in those days.