Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/09/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The passengers have been kept on planes until they can be individually cleared by RCMP and security agents at the specific request of the U.S. government. There has been a minor amount of conflict between the U.S. govt. and the Canadian govt on this matter, as the Canadian govt would like a more relaxed process because of the incredible discomfort that the passengers there are undergoing. There was a rather lengthy piece about this on CBC this morning. The passengers are being fed, but you have to remember that Gander is basically an airport in a remote northern location that rarely has more than a couple of flights a day landing. It once was a major refueling stop in the propellor-driven era of transatlantic travel, but not since the age of jet travel began. There is only a tiny village without food and housing capability for thousands of passengers. Gander itself is in the sub-Arctic, and housing those people in an unheated hangar is out of the question. The airport itself could hold a couple of hundred people -- if no one needed to sit down or move their arms. Everything possible has been done and is being done for the comfort and assistance of these people by the Canadian govt and local citizens, but it isn't a matter of these people being denied facilities in local hotels and restaurants, which scarcely exist in great enough capacity for one plane, let alone 57. Nor is there enough aircraft fuel for that number of jets available locally. The logistics of even getting those aircraft out of there is considerable. An immense effort is being made to take care of the situation. But of course, you knew this and were in no way implying that Canadians are indifferent or withholding assistance from Americans. I thank you for your acknowledgement of our assistance to those 15,000 passengers. I really am touched by this. Mark > > G. Michael Paine writes: > > > > I understand that most if not evey one of the some 15,000 passgengers > > stranded at Gander have spent the entire time in the planes. Not > > allowed off the planes and not fed. > > Michael > > -- > > mit der dummheit kampfen die Gotter Selbst vergebens > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Mark Langer > > Email address: mlanger@ccs.carleton.ca > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mark Langer Email address: mlanger@ccs.carleton.ca - ----------------------------------------------------------------------