Sounds like a new movie. Perhaps the sequel to "Snakes on a Plane". Has anyone read the "Mutiny on Flight 613" article in the Mail on Sunday.

It looks like we have been whipped into a state of frenzy and paranoia with the terrorist issue and now take it on ourselves to profile possible terrorists. "The plane was not yet full and it became apparent that people were refusing to board. In the gate waiting area, people had been talking about these two, who looked really suspicious with their heavy clothing, scruffy, rough, appearance and long hair." Yep, clearly terrorists!!

People, people - take a deep breath and relax. The "Terrorist under the Bed" approach isn't going to get us anywhere. We have always lived in uncertain times. The PLO, the Red Brigade, the Baader- Meinhof Group, Gavrilo Princip, Lee Harvey Oswald etc. - just distant memories?

Well, what else do you expect from people flying to MCR on Monarch from the Costa del Chav?

Anyone on those flights who's not wearing Burberry or baseball caps looks suspicious. If there isn't a buzz coming out of your ear, there's BOUND to be something wrong with you.

The two Asians were probably reading books. Weren't carrying The Sun, or didn't have England tattoos. Maybe talking to each other in whole sentences.

Or most suspicious of all, sober.

In the UK-bound bit of Malaga airport, all clear signs of deviance.

The tip is, don't ever read the Daily/Sunday mail, unless you want to suffer a serious bout of depression.

Muck

Fortunately, this will have put paid to profiling.

I suspect not, Sheila. The authorities either check everyone (a) thoroughly (at vast expense and inconvenience) or (b) sloppily (and eventually a bomber will get through); or they profile (also with its own negative results - but cheaper and quicker).

pity anyone who looks asian these days.

not so long ago we in britain were laughing at and criticising america for her hysteria and threatening of human rights of asians. we were better than that...we were more logical and we respect human rights more. we weren't going to start a racial witch hunt based on panic and emotion as we perceived in the states. there was a collective rolling of the eyes over here every time we heard a plane was evacuated in the states due to a suspicious looking pencil, etc. i'll be the first to acknowledge this.

things have changed over here. i'm not just referring to this one incident but the general attitudes of people. i don't care to debate what the proper response is to this threat or whether the people were justified in panicking like this. just acknowledging (and bemoaning) the change of atmosphere over here.