Activity At Cincinnati Airport Returns To Normal

Activity At Cincinnati Airport Returns To Normal 
WCPO, OH

Last updated: 1/7/04 12:20:42 PM 


Less than a day after a commercial flight into Cincinnati was flagged by 
federal officials as being in danger of a possible terrorist attack, activity 
at the airport has returned to normal. 

Concerns over suspicious wires sticking out of a passenger's heated jacket 
delayed a Paris-to-Cincinnati flight by about an hour before security officials 
determined the woman was not a threat. 

It turned out the motorcycle jacket was designed to heat up like an electric 
blanket to keep the wearer warm, officials said. 

The 181 passengers on Delta Flight 43 and their baggage had to be re-screened 
after the plane landed at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International 
Airport on Tuesday afternoon. The plane was kept a half-mile from the terminal 
and was searched by canines. 

Passengers arriving at the Cincinnati airport Wednesday were greeted by road 
signs warning of a security alert. Some were waved on and other cars were 
searched. 

"We have to get on with our lives. I do believe it's a lot of security," said 
Harriet Russell, of College Hill. 

Many travelers said they're not worried about flying out Wednesday, one day 
after fighter jets escorted a plane from Paris to Cincinnati. 

"Flying out of Minnesota, I was a bit apprehensive, but after how everything 
was handled yesterday, with the Homeland Security and the Armed Forces, I felt 
very secure flying out today," said Dianne Brady, of St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Melissa Weisheit said she feels safe about getting on a plane with her 
daughter, Bailey. Instead of being concerned about the flight, Weisheit said 
the fighter jet escort worries her. 

"That's scary," said Weisheit, of Covington. 

Delta's regularly scheduled Paris to Cincinnati flight took off as scheduled 
Wednesday and is expected to arrive on time. 

Passengers on Tuesday's flight said the atmosphere on board remained calm. 

Hafiz Aboulhosn, 53, said he was one of several people questioned in Paris and 
among about 10 Middle Eastern men questioned at the Cincinnati airport. 

"I wasn't upset about it," said Aboulhosn, an engineer for General Electric 
Co.'s jet engine division in suburban Cincinnati. "I'm glad they're doing it. I 
would suspect everybody from the Middle East because of what is going on." 

The nation is under orange alert, the second-highest of five color-coded 
terrorism threat levels. The government has started photographing and 
fingerprinting foreigners arriving at U.S. airports, and some international 
flights have been canceled or delayed because of terrorism fears. 

Meanwhile, British Airways Flight 223 from London to Washington's Dulles 
International Airport was almost two hours late for the fourth straight day 
because of additional screening requested by U.S. law enforcement authorities, 
according to airline spokesman John Lampl. 

The flight has been delayed or canceled every day for the past week. On Monday, 
British Airways Flight 216, Dulles to London's Heathrow, left about four hours 
late because of additional screening. 


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dc/dcboard.php

*****************************************