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French fury over US treatment of air staff
French fury over US treatment of air staff
By Kim Willsher in Paris (Filed: 18/01/2004) www.telegraph.co.uk In the latest bout of Franco-American squabbling, hundreds of Air France pilots and cabin crew who have French nationality but were born in Muslim countries are furious at being singled out for stringent security measures when they land in the US. Some of the 324 affected employees complain that they were treated like "terrorist suspects" after being separated from fellow cabin crew and grilled for up to four hours by security agents on arrival at American airports. The treatment, they say, was "discriminatory and insulting". The security measures are outlined in a directive from the Transportation Security Agency (TSA), one of a raft of institutions created by President Bush in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks. It targets crew born in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Indonesia and Egypt - countries which the American authorities regard as particularly dangerous sources of terrorists. The directive stated that the targeted crew would be required to undergo a one-to-one interview with an agent from the TSA. If necessary, it continued, they would be forced to return to France. The directive also advises Air France not to use the foreign-born crew members on flights to Cincinnati because airport staff there lack the facilities needed to conduct the security interviews. One Moroccan-born stewardess who flew into the city was prevented from leaving when officials could not conduct her interview. Instead, she was driven for eight hours to Atlanta, nearly 500 miles away, and forced to fly back to France as an ordinary passenger. Guillaume Pollard, an Air France pilot, said that even crew unaffected by the tightened security measures were considering boycotting flights to America in protest at the measures. He said: "We all condemn this action against our colleagues. I am outraged by the measure. All the personnel concerned are French, even if they were born elsewhere. Some of them are from French parents but were born abroad. This is racial discrimination." Although the directive has been issued to all European airlines, including British Airways, it has caused particular fury among crew in France where it is seen as the latest blow to US-French relations since Paris opposed military action in Iraq. The French were irritated when America caused the cancellation of three Air France flights to America over Christmas, citing security fears. Marc Allot, an Air France union representative, said: "When I heard about this directive I couldn't believe it, but the company is doing nothing. Perhaps there are strategic, political and commercial concerns, but we shouldn't accept such shameful discrimination." Philippe Decrulle, deputy secretary general of the CFDT-Air France union, said that strong action was needed. "The crew affected by these measures have flown regularly to the United States for years. All of them have a Type B professional visa which means that they have already undergone detailed checks. Why make them go through it all again?" A spokesman for Air France said that it had lodged an official complaint over the measures, but recognised that "the American authorities have sovereignty over their own territory". After receiving complaints from Air France crew, however, the French pressure group Movement Against Racism and for Friendship between Peoples (MRAP) said that it was investigating whether legal action could be taken against the US for racial discrimination. It called on the French government, which has declined to comment on the directive, to condemn the American action. BA has given staff from the countries in question the option of not flying to American destinations. (First posted by John Dundas in alt.airports.uk.edinburgh) |
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French fury over US treatment of air staff
One Moroccan-born stewardess who flew into the city was
prevented from leaving when officials could not conduct her interview. Instead, she was driven for eight hours to Atlanta, nearly 500 miles away, and forced to fly back to France as an ordinary passenger. If she was driven to Atlanta, I can guarantee that she was driven there in handcuffs. Even Michael "Doesn't everyone sleep with boys?" Jackson was handcuffed on his way to the police station. Philippe Decrulle, deputy secretary general of the CFDT-Air France union, said that strong action was needed. "The crew affected by these measures have flown regularly to the United States for years. All of them have a Type B professional visa which means that they have already undergone detailed checks. Why make them go through it all again?" We'll probably see Tom "Be vigilant" Ridge soon demand that Air France crews be implanted with microchips. I wonder when Delta will discuss this entire matter with the TSA, as Air France is Delta's SkyTeam partner. This could really hurt Delta's business. Casey |
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French fury over US treatment of air staff
"Casey" wrote in message hlink.net... One Moroccan-born stewardess who flew into the city was prevented from leaving when officials could not conduct her interview. Instead, she was driven for eight hours to Atlanta, nearly 500 miles away, and forced to fly back to France as an ordinary passenger. If she was driven to Atlanta, I can guarantee that she was driven there in handcuffs. Even Michael "Doesn't everyone sleep with boys?" Jackson was handcuffed on his way to the police station. Philippe Decrulle, deputy secretary general of the CFDT-Air France union, said that strong action was needed. "The crew affected by these measures have flown regularly to the United States for years. All of them have a Type B professional visa which means that they have already undergone detailed checks. Why make them go through it all again?" We'll probably see Tom "Be vigilant" Ridge soon demand that Air France crews be implanted with microchips. I wonder when Delta will discuss this entire matter with the TSA, as Air France is Delta's SkyTeam partner. This could really hurt Delta's business. Especially if Air France decides to cancel all flights to the U.S. permanently, and ban incoming U.S. flights to France. Hell, just break off diplomatic relations and let Shrub explain it! |
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French fury over US treatment of air staff
None wrote:
Especially if Air France decides to cancel all flights to the U.S. permanently, and ban incoming U.S. flights to France. Hell, just break off diplomatic relations and let Shrub explain it! Shrub? Explain? "We don't need no stinking explanations." See http://www.lucianne.com/threads2.asp?artnum=106968 for a comprehensive review of American opinion on this topic. cheers, Henry |
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French fury over US treatment of air staff
On 18 Jan 2004 14:09:50 -0800 (Be Positive) wrote:
:French fury over US treatment of air staff :By Kim Willsher in Paris (Filed: 18/01/2004) :www.telegraph.co.uk :In the latest bout of Franco-American squabbling, hundreds of Air France :pilots and cabin crew who have French nationality but were born in Muslim :countries are furious at being singled out for stringent security measures :when they land in the US. Like the vast majority of Americans care. Hell, they may even support doing the checks on all French. Just to keep them out. -- Binyamin Dissen http://www.dissensoftware.com |
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French fury over US treatment of air staff
If the French/airline cabin crews from Muslim countries have a problem
with the security here in the states, well they can find another job. They don't have to be cabin crews. They can grow grapes or make pastries.... :-) . If the French government is upset about the 3 French airliners that were prohibited to fly into the US during the Christmas holidays..... Well too bad. We don't owe you anything. |
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French fury over US treatment of air staff
Binyamin Dissen wrote: On 18 Jan 2004 14:09:50 -0800 (Be Positive) wrote: :French fury over US treatment of air staff :By Kim Willsher in Paris (Filed: 18/01/2004) :www.telegraph.co.uk :In the latest bout of Franco-American squabbling, hundreds of Air France :pilots and cabin crew who have French nationality but were born in Muslim :countries are furious at being singled out for stringent security measures :when they land in the US. Like the vast majority of Americans care. Hell, they may even support doing the checks on all French. Just to keep them out. I sure do. It's like we *really* need any more Muslim pukes entering the country. -- Best Greg |
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French fury over US treatment of air staff
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French fury over US treatment of air staff
BCS wrote: That's a remarkably ignorant statement; you have a significant amount of gratitude owed to the French for no less than the creation of your own country. The financial and tactical aid you got in the American Revolution was widely acknowledged and appreciated after you won. Its shameful to see how easy some people neglect their own history. On the plus side, and contrary to popular belief, your Congress isn't quite as ignorant, and have reaffirmed this indebtitude as recently as 2002, when they passed a bill to acknowledge and honor the Marquis de Lafayette with only the sixth honorary citizenship of the United States of America, in PL107-209 http://uscis.gov/graphics/pl107209.htm Thanks for the update, Rip van Winkle. We saved France's ass *twice* in the last century, so they owe the US a *lot* more than we owe them (not that the Frogs would admit it) -- Best Greg "rolling eyes" |
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