British, U.S. Officials Quash Plane Rumor

[wicket]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=3&u=/nm/20040804/ts_nm/britain_plane_dc

Market rumors that a commercial aircraft flying from London to either Washington or New York had gone missing are untrue, British and U.S. air traffic controllers said on Wednesday.

"There are no reports of any aircraft in difficulties. As far as we know, everything is normal," a spokesman for Britain's National Air Traffic Services told Reuters.

"We've checked with everyone, including our Canadian and European counterparts, and no one has heard anything," said the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Glenn Godfrey, operations manager at the FAA's air traffic command center near Washington D.C.

The rumor swept through equity and money markets, becoming a talking point, but prices were largely unaffected.

[nodictators]

1. How can they be sure?

According to the 9-11 Cover-up Commission Final Report, FAA controllers take (or took) their good-natured time before advising NORAD of a missing airliner. And that's for flights in the US.

Of course, many of us don't believe that. The FAA air traffic controllers are sharp people and are on the ball.

Here, we're now told the the Brits and the FAA would know if a plane over the Atlantic Ocean had been lost.

Can you say, "Contradiction"?

[wicket]

2. good point

This whole thing has me scratching my head.