Art

I just found out about the tragedy. We were driving from Torun Poland to Gdansk today and only found out after we arrived. Got most of it in Polish witha few CNN subtitles. It is a major tragedy performed by cowards. <BR>Art <BR>

robin-k

UPDATE ON PLANE TRAVEL: <BR> <BR>Per CNN, they just announced that there will be NO plane traffic in/out of United States before noon tomorrow (9/12). Not definitive that planes will START flying at that time; rather this will be the earliest time which they may return to the air.

Barbara

We were scheduled to fly to Heathrow from SFO today. In fact our bags are packed and sitting in the hallway. They have rebooked us on Thursday. Virgin Atlantic stated that they may put extra planes on to handle the back load. Keeping our fingers crossed. No way would I scrub our trip

lisa

We are scheduled to depart for Paris - changing planes in Frankfort Thursday - the 13th. I am EXTREMELY nervous about going, however, I think we will continue with our trip which will take us to Valencia, Spain and Belfast, UK...unless they suspend international travel. <BR> <BR>Please keep up the "support" here - it's needed for those of us that will be continuing with our travels. <BR> <BR>Thank you - and be in prayer for those who have lost their lives and families who have lost loved ones in this awful tragedy.

Howard

Everything life is so relative. In the midst of watching the horror unfold on television today, my wife and I realized that our September 21 trip to Italy might be in jeopardy. Somehow, though, that really didn't seem that important at the moment!

lisa

Yes, Howard - we agree.

John G

Sally, If you can get on that plane to Europe GO! People are always asking me aren't I afraid of terrorism. This tragedy today shows you that you can be sitting at your office desk and can be killed! Don't let these terrorist get their way. My own mother is in Rome today. I put her on the plane last night in Newark before all of this. Im glad she left yesterday and not today. She planned this trip for over a year and she would have been heartbroken if she missed it. Im sure she is upset by all of this news, but, my dear, the greatest element of the human condition is our about our ability to survive. JG

xx

Schedluled to fly to Paris on monday. The only reason i would cancel is a sense of sadness and not wanting to vacation in light of the horrific grief that exists. Perhaps if American airlines/airports had security like the Israelis' something like this would not happen. We need to stop paying "security" personnel minimum wage and expect that our planes will be safe.

Sheila

And the other way round? My husband is meant to go to Houston on Sunday should I "let" him? (always assuming he can)

Ursula

Sheila, yes, interesting question. My sister and her husband are scheduled very soon for a one's week holiday in Manhattan. Go or no-go? What kind of difficulties may they encounter besides very high security checks everywhere? <BR>They will leave two teenage girls back here.

Karen

I am scheduled to leave for Paris this Friday. Have no intentions of canceling my trip unless flights are grounded. As witnessed today, there is no way to protect yourself against some acts of terrorism but you can't live your life in fear. Live your life to the fullest while you can. These poor people merely reported to work, no precautions could have saved them.

Anna

Sally - GO! <BR> <BR>My husband and I are supposed to fly from Chicago to Frankfurt this Friday for a 2 week trip. If the plane is going, we're going. If we have to postpone it a few days or so, we'll do that and get the first available flight we can. If worse comes to worse, maybe we'll take a road trip in the US. <BR> <BR>It'll be interesting to see what security changes will take place at airports in the US. My husband and I always felt security here was no where near that of European airports, probably not for long...

Linda

My husband and I were to leave today to Italy, Switzerland and Paris for our first trip to Europe. We only found out 4 hours before leaving for the airport that all flights were canceled. We called Alitalia to give our home number and asked them to call should there be changes, but we are having serious doubts about going at all. The absolute earliest we would be able to leave is noon tomorrow. Actually, i'm listening to expl0sions in Kabul, Afghanistan as I type. OMG..the US has bombed Afghanistan!!! I'm shocked and frightened this is the start of WWIII... <BR> <BR>Watching missiles flying into Afghanistan...Linda in the Bay Area <BR> <BR>

Linda

clarification: no word that it is the US bombing Kabul.

Jane

Sally - Here in Canada the airports are jammed with aircraft that were diverted not only from their original US destinations, but also aircraft that were expecting to be able to fly over US airspace. Case in point: A whole group of Dutch passengers en route to Mexico are tonight having an unexpected stay in our fair city. <BR> <BR>There are thousands of passengers stranded, not to mention US tourists vacationing here who are now wondering how they'll get home. I suspect the same situation may well apply in your own airports, namely that the backlog won't be cleared for days, so I'm afraid your trip is off for now.

Jeannette

Sally, you've got to ask yourself why you want to stay home. Is it because (a) you want to do something positive like give blood, go to New York and be of assistance to friends and relatives or (b)because you're afraid you'll die in another hijacking or (c) you're just curious about the outcome and want to be part of the drama? If you plan to do something constructive, then stay! If you're scared, then maybe you should stay home rather than increase your anxiety although your chances of dying in the plane will be minimal with heightened security. If you're curious and want to be part of the drama, you'll probably be disappointed. There probably won't be any real progress for days or weeks and the same newscasts will get old soon. It's unlikely that another city will be bombed.

Kathy

I was to leave today via Air Canada for Germany. They've booked the same flight for tomorrow but all flights before noon are cancelled. That includes my flight.It's just as well. I don't want to go anyway. It isn't about "letting the terrorist win." It's about being so stunned and sad, and wanting to stay here on US soil, standing by my fellow Americans who are grieving the loss of human life. There will be other, more appropriate times to vacation.

Rex

I have NO quarrels with ANYONE whose trip was cancelled today or tomorrow, or ANY time in the future - - and doesn't want to re-schedule. For myself, I am prepared to go forward with our trip, but I want to extend total empathy and support to those who feel that they cannot proceed. <BR> <BR>And especially to those who could not leave today or tomorrow, I think you can almost take some "civic" or social pride if you - - Sally (but any others as well) - - decide to remove yourself from the backlog of people who NEED to get home. Presumably you will be treated with compassion/understanding (and a refund) from the airlines. With your money back, you can travel sometime in the future. <BR> <BR>It's going to be a rough several days (5? 10? 20? more?) in the air travel industry, and no one should feel that this is about "bravery" - - to excuse themselves and say "I don't really have to do this right now". <BR>

Judith

Response from John hit a note with me. Yes, some 300 people on 4 planes died today at the hands of terrorists but let us remember that possibly a thousand (and we can only pray it is not more) died at their workplace right in the city where they lived. If we are to succumb to terrorists the only SAFE place would be a bunker in a hill. <BR> <BR>I DO hope this tragedy will result in increased security at US airports. I just returned home from Copenhagen where I passed through THREE security checks having to show both my passport and boarding card before arriving at the gate area. It may be that we will all have to give up the fun of having the family meet us at the gate but it would certainly reduce the numbers passing through security and allow agents to concentrate on the actual passengers. <BR> <BR>Interesting also was the fact that on both SAS flights to and from Chicago, we were delayed when a passenger, who had apparently checked in, did not board so "for security reasons", that person's luggage had to be removed from the cargo hold. I will take that type of delay ANY DAY. <BR> <BR>End of all this is the fact that as very frequent fliers both nationally and internationally, we will continue to make our trips with only maybe a little extra prayer. <BR> <BR>I share with the nation, the grief over this tragedy but refuse to let these evil people paralize me with fear, as is their aim.

fran

I'm not scheduled to leave for France until next month but am discussing with my husband whether or now we should cancel. Not so much out of fear of flying (although there is that) but right now just don't feel like I should be vacationing. I don't even know if I could enjoy myself. Guess we will wait and see how we feel as time goes on.