— With birth dates now required as part of the boarding procures, how in the world does a six-year-old girl get on TSA’s dreaded “no-fly” list? The father of a girl who tried to print out a boarding pass called United Airlines to determine the problem. No help there.
The TSA told him the girl would have to pass through airport security before she could get a boarding pass. “If they observe a six-year-old standing before they, they can forego additional procedures,” said a TSA spokeswoman.
—Should you fear the bears coming out of the woods? There have already been several bear break-ins in Beaver Creek as voracious animals awaken from hibernation.
Will bears scrounging for scarce food threaten humans? Officials say it’s too early to tell but suggest locking doors and windows to be sure bears stay out.
—European prosecutors are claiming that that Continental Airlines should be fined USD$280,000 for manslaughter of 113 people. The charges came because of the airline’s role in the 2000 crash of an Air France Concorde plane.
Investigators believe a Continental DC10 triggered the disaster when a small metal strip fell from it onto the runway. This punctured the Concorde’s tires during take off, spraying debris into the under wing fuel tanks and sparking the fire. Prosecutors are also seeking prison sentences for a former Concorde director who headed the plane’s testing program.
By David Wilkening
