trying

Go as soon as you can and with as much dignity and pride as you can show. Show the world that we will not be kept down. Obviously, be careful, but do it and have fun. Yes, we are in mourning as a nation. But we cannot cower. Go forth, show strength, and have a little fun for those who can't. Just remember them in your prayers, or toast them with a little European wine.

Randall Smith

Hi, <BR> <BR>I agree wholeheartedly, the fredom to travel is one of our most basic freedoms. If we decide to let the terrorists get their way they have acheived their goal. I have recently purchase tickets for 3 locations, two long domestic flights and one to France, I have no intention of cancelling. <BR> <BR>Sincerely, <BR> <BR>Randall Smith

Jim

I'd love to but can't find out from anyone if flights are leaving.

Book Chick

In less than 5 weeks, I am going to Paris. I refuse to let any cowardly, terroristic hoodlum-thugs deny me access to the world. I will not recant, I will not cancel or postpone & I will hold my head up high & represent this country (as a tourist) to the very best of my ability. If I were to bow to entreaties to cancel, I would be allowing myself to be held as an emotional hostage to someone or some group who apparently wish to be the enemy of my people. This is a victory I will deny them. If I were to perish in any manner (car accident, heart attack, terrorist attack) while traveling, at least I know I would leave this world doing something I love & feel passionate about. <BR> <BR>My French friends, I will see you soon & we can both salute our red, white & blue flags together. <BR>BC

elvira

I emailed Rusty yesterday "where are you?" as she travels 3 out of 4 weeks for business. She emailed back "I'm home, supposed to travel tomorrow to 3 cities, that's cancelled, but I did pick up our London tickets!" <BR> <BR>Does that leave any doubt of our intentions?

Diane

Go BC! I agree completely. As I posted on the US forum, no madman is going to make me stay home and watch TV. In two weeks I'm headed for a high school reunion, a week later to visit my parents in Florida, then I have to make it back up to NYC to see my daughter again.

lisa

We will go if we can get a flight out. We're supposed to be leaving on Lufthansa tomorrow (Fri. p.m.) - not sure if the flight will depart.

Austin

<BR>My wife and I fully intend to go on our annual November trip to Paris <BR>We went years ago amid student riots and later when terrorist bombs were exploding on the Rue Rennes and you even needed visas to enter France (we had to come in via London then to Nantes but what they hey) <BR>The only thing that bothers me <BR>is the news in todays paper that there will be no more curbside parking or checkins---not even quick drop offs---instead you will have to park in the garage where upon entering you and your car will be subject to intense security checks nd searches <BR>That still wont stop us--only delay us. <BR> <BR>AH <BR>

John G

So what if there is no more curbside check-in? This was only for the lazy anyway. This is what I have said on other threads: Americans want safe flights but they don't want any inconvenience. They want it now and PRONTO!!!! They think everything should be like McDonald's. They even expect other people and places of the world to be just like Clevland. If you want your vacation to be free of any sort of mess, stay in the US and drive to Disney World. If you want to see inconvenience fly to Kathmandu, Nepal. You are searched at least 4 times before you get on the plane. Your bags are gone through--they dump your belongings all over a table. A gov't soldier even ripped the postcards I was carrying out of my hand and put them through the x-ray machine! But, you know what, my plane was never hijacked! Or fly on El Al, the Israeli airline. You have to bring your suitcases to the airport the day before so they can go through them. But, they are the safest airline in the world. Nobody is flying an El Al jet into the WTC, are they? Everyone is screaming how this could happen. And now everyone is screaming for reform. But, when Americans start crying over delays--it will be business as usual! Have a safe day. JG

elvira

John G, you are completely correct. Americans are shallow, stupid, brainless children who want everything easy and have no desire to earn it. <BR> <BR>It won't be long before our nation will go the way of the Roman empire or the glory that was Greece. It would be a good idea for you to leave now before that happens. The rest of us will just stick around for a while.

not paranoid

What about a flight leaving for Europe next week from Boston Logan? While in other situations I have dreamed about being "stranded" in Europe, forced to stay in Paris, London, etc. with a good excuse not to head back to work, that scenario is what I am most concerned about.

Sondra

I actually pretty much agree with John G! Did you know that I heard today on the news that Americans won't be able to take knives on planes anymore? Hello???! I didn't know that was even allowed! How ridiculous! I hope I never ever hear another American complain again about how long it takes to get through the security check or how they're pissed because their flight is delayed when there is bad weather. Wake up people! Americans' complacency was even shown by the people in the Pentagon! While watching the news coverage of the WTC tragedy on CNN, the Pentagon was hit! Hello? A plane just hit the WTC, they should have evacuated the Pentagon instead of watching CNN! (Please don't get me wrong, my hearts and prayers are with their families and it certainly, obviously was not their fault , it's just another example of how Americans have become so complacent). <BR>

Carol

How dare you attack the personnel in the pentagon. many were not even aware of what had happened, becuase they were busy manning their posts at the U.S. top military headquarters. AND if they did know, they would not abandon their posts and do what they had to do to react to this act of war. SHAME ON YOU!

Capo

Well said; I couldn't agree more. One of the ways in which terrorists "win" is by terrorizing people with fear. <BR> <BR>John G, Re: "And now everyone is screaming for reform. But, when Americans start crying over delays--it will be business as usual!" <BR> <BR>While I tend to agree with you, I also think that that yesterday's attacks were so horrific that we may <I>not</I> return to business as usual. <BR> <BR>Aviation expert John Nance was being interviewed by Peter Jennings last night and he stated that he has always felt that airport security in the U.S. was abominable (I can't remember his exact word(s) but it was something along those lines.) He, and others, have said that they feel we need a highly-skilled, well-paid, standardized (i.e. probably federal) security force at all U.S. airports. How soon, or whether, that comes to pass is anyone's guess.

John G

Pardon me for being critical;I am only concerned for all travelers. I am so mad over this whole tragedy and how it could have been averted. It just galls be that 4 planes were hijacked on the same morning. If this happened in any other nation, we Americans would be saying what dopes the other nation was. JG

Capo

Sondra, Re: "Americans won't be able to take knives on planes anymore? Hello???! I didn't know that was even allowed!" <BR> <BR>John Nance, or someone else, said on TV last night that knives up to 4" in length have been, up to now, permissible as carry-on items. I'm sure many, if not most, air travelers have not been aware of that.

lisa

I didn't think knives could be allowed - we checked with our airport (which is a SMALL airport) and they said NO knife - not even a small swiss army pocket knife.

Randy

On Vacation,which began yesterday-Was plaaning to leave Sunday night on Air France...2 nights in Paris,3 in Antwerpt....want to go,but concerned about closures at the big musuems,ect in Paris...would feel somewhat safer in Antwerpt.....taking a wait/see attitude

Capo

Lisa, I'm only reiterating what someone -- and, again, I think it was aviation expert John Nance on ABC -- said last night, that knives up to 4" long have been permissible in carry-on luggage. <BR> <BR>But, if someone is -- or some group of people are -- determined to hijack a plane, don't you think they could find some way to do it even without conventional weapons like guns or knives? <BR> <BR>Under questioning from Peter Jennings, Nance also addressed the issue of the door separating the flight cabin from the rest of the plane. He said it simply cannot be made impenetrable, like a bank vault door, due to depressurization (I think that's what it was) considerations. <BR> <BR>Here's a question for everyone: it's almost certain that increased security measures, if put into place, will cost more money (lowering risk almost always has an associated cost.) If there were to be, as some people argue, something like a well-paid, standardized federal security force at U.S. airports, who should bear any increased costs? The general public, via tax dollars, or just the air-traveling public, through an increased tax on tickets?

Laura

Book Chick....Go! Go for all of us and show them what Americans are made of! Loved your response...I'm proud of you, neighbor...