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Hijack code sent from plane
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:26 am
by GalvestonDuck
From CrisisAlert mailing list:
"NBC: London-New York Virgin Airlines flight sends hijack alert code"
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:34 am
by wxcrazytwo
If it is in the air heading to NY, they will blow it up beore it gets here.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:36 am
by GalvestonDuck
wxcrazytwo wrote:If it is in the air heading to NY, they will blow it up beore it gets here.
Give it time for them (the pilot) to try to communicate first. If there was an erroneous code sent, hopefully they will be able to talk back and forth with authorities and clarify things. If not...my prayers to all souls on board.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:38 am
by GalvestonDuck
Update -- pilot reporting it as error, diverted to Canada as a precaution.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8085449/
NEW YORK - A Virgin Atlantic flight from London to JFK Airport in New York was being diverted Friday after air traffic controllers heard the hijack code coming from the crew.
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Virgin Atlantic said it had contacted the pilot, who said the aircraft was not being hijacked, but as a precaution the plane was being sent an airport in Halifax, Canada.
Canadian fighter jets were to escort the jet, which is carrying 271 passengers and 17 crew.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:46 am
by Brent
Airline says it was a false alarm. How in the world you can "accidentally" send a code is beyond me. It's a series of buttons, not just one.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:46 am
by mf_dolphin
If that was a screw up it was a biggie.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:55 am
by CajunMama
wxcrazytwo wrote:If it is in the air heading to NY, they will blow it up beore it gets here.
Aren't you just the most postive poster
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:56 am
by Brent
CajunMama wrote:wxcrazytwo wrote:If it is in the air heading to NY, they will blow it up beore it gets here.
Aren't you just the most postive poster
Something is fishy about this... you don't just "accidentially" push the hijack code.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 10:12 am
by GalvestonDuck
I can't remember where I saw it recently (the movie "S.W.A.T." maybe? LAX? CSI?) on TV, but there was a fictional incident where the pilot supposedly entered the code on accident. But it was actually a ploy so a fake SWAT team could get on the tarmac. It's gonna drive me batty until I remember now.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 4:58 pm
by USCG_Hurricane_Watcher
Brent wrote:Airline says it was a false alarm. How in the world you can "accidentally" send a code is beyond me. It's a series of buttons, not just one.
Depends on the aircraft and instrumentation...for some aircraft, the alarm is pre-keyed as part of pre-flight checks. That way, if something does goes down inflight, the pilot or co-pilot isn't fidgeting with buttons, just press one button to "release" the coded message.
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 5:17 pm
by StormChasr
It sounds odd, but there are lots of false alarns as of recent. It is better to err on the side of caution, given the irrationality of terrorists.