Arabic-style writing prompts flight cancellation

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

Courtesy CNN.com http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/09/21/flight.canceled.ap/index.html

Arabic-style writing prompts flight cancellation



MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) -- Midwest Airlines canceled a flight ready to take off for San Francisco after a passenger found Arabic-style handwriting in the company's in-flight magazine and alerted the crew.

The plane, carrying 118 passengers and five crew members, had already pulled away from the gate at Mitchell International Airport Sunday evening. It returned to the gate, the passengers got off, security authorities were notified, all luggage was checked and the aircraft was inspected. Nothing was found.

The passengers were put up in nearby hotels and booked on a Monday morning flight.

The writing was in Farsi, the language used in Iran, said airline spokeswoman Carol Skornicka. She said she didn't know exactly what the writing said but was similar to a prayer, "something of a contemplative nature."

--------------------------

Now, I wish I knew how to write in Arabic. If I could, what I would do is write little letters in Arabaic, just saying things like "God Bless the United States" or "Iraq loves John Ashcroft" and leave them all over airports. This way, I would be completely fucking up their schedules and how in the world would they ever be able to accuse me of terrorism, as my messages are completely harmless, until, perhaps, people start realizing that not everything Arab-looking is going to kill you!

[Fleshdancer]

1. sad sad sad

I'm too embarrassed to be angry over this right now. How...pathetic.

[olddem43]

2. Now, are we all going to have to stop using Arabic numbers?

[WoodrowFan]

3. at least translate it first.

if it says "there's a bomb on board" you get check the plane, if it says "buy milk, hummas, lamb on way home" you don't!