KLM plane bound for Mexico denied entry into US airspace.

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 10 Apr 2005, 04:00

A KLM aircraft flying from Holland to Mexico was denied entry in to US airspace because the Americans didn't like two of the passengers. Usually the US tells airlines way in advance if someone on the passenger list is a terror suspect, but this time they refused the plane when it was already flying over Canada. The Canadians didn't allow the plane to land, so it had to fly all the way back to Holland. There they got rid of the two suspects, and took off again to Mexico.

Sources: NOS and Luchtvaartnieuws.

vivek0072 · Post by **vivek0072** » 10 Apr 2005, 04:41

were they expecting another 911 ? This sounds crazy to me.

Cades · Post by **Cades** » 10 Apr 2005, 06:19

This is just plain stupid.

Coudn't they land in havana or something?

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 10 Apr 2005, 08:28

I suspect they couldn't avoid the US due to ETOPS restrictions. Without those, there wouldn't be much sense in flying from Holland to Mexico over Canada and the US in the first place.

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 10 Apr 2005, 11:09

How ridiculous

And above all I'm sure the 2 suspects were no criminals at all and had no bad intentions....

Chris

regi · Post by **regi** » 10 Apr 2005, 11:23

I bet it was Bobby Fisher going to Havana to play chess with Castro.

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 10 Apr 2005, 11:28

This is just ridiculous, the plane doesn't even land in the US...

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 10 Apr 2005, 11:42

What a load of BS this is.....

Why didn't they just hang 2 F-16's to the wings of the aircraft to be sure (although I think that the danger was not that great). Do those morons have to inform KLM that late?
Btw, why was the plane not allowed to land in Canada?

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 10 Apr 2005, 12:07

It is unlawful hindering of competitors.
American carriers are loosing a lot of transit traffic to European carriers. As a revanche they stop these carriers when they want to use US airspace.

Europe should do the same... with unwanted american traffics in its air space.

V-Bird · Post by **V-Bird** » 10 Apr 2005, 13:16

according to the dutch sunday news paper "de zondag telegraaf " the plane ( 747 - 400 combi ) carried also 15 ( very expensive ) race horses.

JetB · Post by **JetB** » 10 Apr 2005, 15:59

@ SN30952 :

Cant we and the Americans be more civilized ? Guess not, but where is this going to stop ?, WWIII maybe

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 10 Apr 2005, 16:31

If it was a 747, then why did they fly over Canada and the USA in the first place??? Isn't that a large detour?

Can anyone actually confirm that it was a 747?

Flying_Dutchman · Post by **Flying_Dutchman** » 10 Apr 2005, 18:03

earthman wrote:If it was a 747, then why did they fly over Canada and the USA in the first place??? Isn't that a large detour?

Can anyone actually confirm that it was a 747?

Well, KLM operates a Boeing 747 on the Amsterdam-Mexico City flight according to the timetable and second it's not a longer route. It looks like that, because the route is showed on a Mercatorprojection. When you point out that route on a globe, you will see it's the shortest route.
Look at this:

Amsterdam - Mexico City on a mercatorprojection

Amsterdam - Mexico City on a globe

bits44 · Post by **bits44** » 10 Apr 2005, 18:13

The U.S. and Canada share the same security requirements for overflights, so thats why they were not allowed to land in Canada. But the U.S. is getting a little carried away, read this article regarding new proposed Passport requirements, if you are a U.S. Citizen you'll need a Passport to get back into your own country. Whats really stupid is there is a place called Point Roberts Washington, and the only way you can get there is through Canada, or by boat.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05096/483475.stm

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 10 Apr 2005, 18:19

Don't be silly, everybody knows the earth is flat!!

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 10 Apr 2005, 21:21

Questions from an American with no membership here:

Well, I am not sure how far from Canada the flight was at the time he was told to turn around and head back to Holland, and wondered if doing so put him at risk of a low fuel situation by the time he got back?

Anybody?

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 10 Apr 2005, 21:36

This article has a map showing how far they got. Basically they had just reached Canada after Greenland, they were probably halfway there. I'm sure the Canadians would have let them land if they didn't have enough fuel to get back.

They did make it all the way back to Amsterdam, I think they would have landed somewhere along the way if they were out of fuel.

regi · Post by **regi** » 10 Apr 2005, 22:41

Bobby Fisher flies now Islandair. Adding up frequent miles.

nwa757 · Post by **nwa757** » 11 Apr 2005, 07:45

SN30952 wrote:It is unlawful hindering of competitors.
American carriers are loosing a lot of transit traffic to European carriers. As a revanche they stop these carriers when they want to use US airspace.

I am not sure how to respond to this one. This is one of the most ridiculous statements I have heard in a long time.

Maybe the US should have no security at all. Maybe we should just open up our doors to terrorists and let them attack and kill all of us. Is that really what you want?

September 11th was the ABSOLUTE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE as it was for most other Americans and maybe some of you. I can not describe to you the fear I had on that horrific day. I never want to see that happen again and if preventing it means that a KLM 747 has to fly back to AMS, well than so be it.

Stoney · Post by **Stoney** » 11 Apr 2005, 08:51

V-Bird wrote:according to the dutch sunday news paper "de zondag telegraaf " the plane ( 747 - 400 combi ) carried also 15 ( very expensive ) race horses.

were probably arab race horses... Stupid american governement...

Somebody mentioned this will end in WWIII, I have the same fears... America against the world...

Aviation24.be

KLM plane bound for Mexico denied entry into US airspace.

KLM plane bound for Mexico denied entry into US airspace.

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