An Air France crew member was detained Friday after he
allegedly made remarks about the plane blowing up as his baggage was
being screened at New York�s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The
Associated Press reports (this time) an alarm went off as the pilot's
luggage was processed through a screening machine. The pilot was called
back to the station for a second screening. As security officials were
inspecting his bags, the pilot allegedly joked about the plane blowing
up, him blowing up and the story ending up on the front page of The New
York Times. The TSA staffers were not amused. The security folks notified
Port Authority police, who detained the pilot for questioning. The
unnamed pilot was later released but his problems probably aren't over.
The airline had to cancel the flight and put passengers on other planes
bound for Paris. He also apparently didn't learn from the experience of a
fellow Air France pilot. In August, another Air France pilot was arrested
after allegedly telling a security screener he had a bomb in his shoe. No
explosives were found on the pilot or the plane, but the New
York-to-Paris flight he was scheduled for as a co-pilot was canceled.
Philippe Rivere, 50, was charged with two counts of falsely reporting an
incident. He could face a seven-year prison term if convicted on the
first-degree count.
_______________________
Scott MacLean
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
ICQ: 9184011
http://www.nerosoft.com
