U.S. airline irks India by frisking ex-president

[Coventina]

Source: CNN

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Indian authorities Tuesday filed a police complaint against Continental Airlines for frisking a former president of the country as he was to travel to New York in April.

Civil aviation officials in New Delhi accused Continental of gross violation of Indian security rules that prohibit pre-embarkation body checks on certain dignitaries like a former president.

The police complaint followed a probe that had established that APJ Abdul Kalam was subject to frisking before he boarded a flight from New Delhi to New York on April 21, the Indian civil aviation ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also alleged the airline did not respond to its show-cause notice in connection with Kalam's body checks.

In its police complaint, Indian civil aviation authorities accused the airline staff of "willful violation" of their directions on exemptions from pre-embarkation frisking.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/21/india.continental.frisking/

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On edit: corrected copy/paste error.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

1. Delete.

[MNDemNY]

2. ...

:nopity:

[Idealism]

3. This is newsworthy...?

[cosmicone]

4. Amazing responses

Would it be newsworthy and deserving a violin if say Bill Clinton was frisked by an Indian airline's employees?

[Xithras]

5. If Al Gore gets the treatment, I'b be pissed if this guy DIDN'T

For those unaware, Al Gore was once pulled out for the more exhaustive TSA search. The fact that he was the former Vice President of the United States apparently didn't matter to them.

[cosmicone]

6. Link? Sounds like an urban myth to me. n/t

[pitohui]

9. ted kennedy also got the same (actually kennedy got secondary)

as well as multiple other politicians, at the end of the day, no one has the right to say, "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" and skip the standard security procedures -- if they don't wanna comply with security, they need to charter their own jet, not fly on mass transit

this guy didn't even get anythign special from the sound of it, just the standard security that everybody gets at an internat'l airport

sounds like a whiner

no one who refuses a security screen should be allowed on a flight of a large commercial airliner, NO ONE

[cosmicone]

10. It is a simplistic view.

Ted Kennedy was on the "no fly list" -- that is quite different.

Political VIPs are treated differently on all flights all over the world. They come with security details and credentials.

What happened here was an insult. Calling it "whining" is treating people of other countries as inferior.

[Deja Q]

7. Well, old women and children are not exceptions. Should ANYBODY be?

:nopity:

I repeat:

:nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity:

[pitohui]

8. i get the treatment and so should this dude

WTF is this? this dude is saying because he's a FORMER politician he should get special treatment

fuck that shit

CO is an american airline and it should treat all people as equal

i didn't hear al gore bitching em out because he got frisked

everybody who flies a lot gets frisked sometimes, esp. if they fly internationally, deal w. it or if you're so fucking rich and important you can charter your own fucking jet

if you fly on public transport, then you should receive the SAME treatment as everybody else, NO special treatment for self-appointed "i'm too important"

either we are all equal or we are all not, if this dude doesn't agree, don't fly on an american owned airline, kthnx

truly this pisses me off, i've been frisked many times and i have better things to do than say, "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM???"

yah, i know who you are, somebody who can't afford to charter their own transport yet doesn't want to follow the security procedures that all OTHER members of the public have to follow, in other, words, you're a jerk, dude

[smitra]

11. You have to obey the law of the land.

Read the article carefully, and you will see that it says that it is the LAW in India that ex-Presidents are exempt from frisking when they embark on a plane in an airport in India. Irrespective of the ownership of the airline, if you operate out of an airport of some country, then you have to obey the laws of that country. An airport is not like an embassy, which is sovereign territory of the nation it is represents.

If President Kalam had been frisked in New York boarding a Continental flight, then that would be a different story. If Al Gore and Ted Kennedy get frisked here, then that is what any other high official of any country could expect.

On another note, it is obvious that you - and the other posters to this thread - have no idea of the character of President Kalam. Not surprising, given the average level of ignorance of the American public, which seems appropriately reflected in the posters on this (liberal) board. Especially with regard to knowledge of other - especially 'non-white' - countries.

If you had bothered to read up even the slightest bit about President Kalam, you would know that he is certainly not one who can afford to charter his own transport. He would also be the last one to ask for special treatment for himself.

[Bhaisahab]

13. Please acquaint yourself with some information

about APJ Kalam before dismissing him as 'this dude.' He is a highly respected scientist and without doubt the most loved President in the history of independent India. He was a people's president, an inspiration for old and young alike.

Moreover, true to the man's character, it wasn't he who complained about the treatment.

<snip>
He was also asked to take off his shoes, despite accompanying CISF personnel protesting to the airline staff that Kalam was an ex-President and exempt from such checks. While the airline did not budge, the unassuming Kalam went through the process without any fuss.
<snip>
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Kalam-did-not-make-any-fuss-when-he-was-frisked/articleshow/4805330.cms

Really, to call APJ Kalam a 'jerk' shows you in poor light mate. You should be embarrassed, if not ashamed.

[JI7]

12. he is Muslim

[InfiniteThoughts]

14. what does that mean?

[JI7]

16. that they are looking out for Muslims to search

it's not really a surprise it happened when you consider that he is Muslim unless people want to deny they are being profiled .

[InfiniteThoughts]

15. why does Continental Airlines think that they are above the law of the land?

That's the main question. As a former Head of State (President of India), Kalam is entitled to an exemption of frisking in Indian cities.

If i were the CEO of Continental Airlines, i would expect a painful rap on the knuckles from the Indian Government on this gaffe.

[Tesha]

17. And Chevy Chase once again proves he was ahead of his time!

As in The Groove Tube.

Tesha