No Hotel Info - Please read

[Vistajetset]

Due to a rash of crew uniform/identification thefts from hotels around the world, I am asking everyone to refrain from posting ANY information about hotels on publicly viewable boards and I would urge you not to give out this type of information to ANYONE you're not completely sure of. Because of the seriousness of the current situation, any posts with information about our hotels, whether they be layover locations or commuter hotels, will be deleted. For the time being, I will also ask that you refrain from posting any information regarding the phone numbers or addresses of our company and/or union offices. Granted, some of this information may be obtained via other avenues but it will not be displayed here. Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding.

[ 07-09-2002, 02:42 AM: Message edited by: Vistajetset ]

[EarBlock]

My apologies if I offended anyone with my question....it was an oversight. I've just lost touch with a lot of my formerly PHL based friends, and just thought I'd toss this idea out as it was information that I really did need.

[Ryanair]

Vistajet.
As you are no doubt aware, we have a new city guide or crew tips forum.
As the moderator, I have told people that it is ok to write about good or bad hotels, as long as they do not disclose that an airline's crews stay there.
I hope that is OK!
Ryanair

[Vistajetset]

BY DANIEL G. FRICKER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Suspected terrorists have stolen dozens of U.S. airline
flight crew uniforms, flight bags, credentials and
passports in a worldwide rash of hotel room break-ins
since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a security official
said Thursday.

The thefts are alarming because they are more frequent
and more professional than previous break-ins, and
because the thieves pass up valuables such as cameras
in favor of items that could outfit a flight crew,
said Capt. Steve Luckey, chairman of the national security
committee at the Air Line Pilots Association.

ALPA, which is based in Herndon, Va., represents 66,000
commercial airline pilots in North America.

"This seems to be taking up a pattern," said Luckey,
a retired Northwest Airlines pilot. "It's becoming
global and the modus operandi appears to be becoming
standard through the world. The modus operandi is getting
specific toward identity theft instead of valuable
items. They used to steal cameras and jewelry and stuff
like that."

The break-ins have become so frequent that ALPA is
holding daily discussions with FBI counterterrorism
experts and hopes to develop a procedure for pilots
to report the thefts, Luckey said.

Most of the break-ins have occurred in Western Europe,
Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Asia, he said.

Luckey said he did not know the exact number of break-ins
because the union has no reporting procedure, but anecdotal
reports point to an increase since Sept. 11.

ALPA fears terrorists could use the stolen items to
manufacture a series of flight crew uniforms or outfit
a crew of impostors.

The union is asking the U.S. Transportation Security
Administration to issue flight crews and federal air
marshals identification cards that contain distinguishing
characteristics such as fingerprints or iris scans,
Luckey said.

The FBI and the Transportation Security Administration,
which oversees aviation security, have declined to
comment.

On Tuesday, union leaders representing 6,500 Northwest
pilots warned the pilots that Middle Eastern-looking
males and females may be watching flight crews at hotels,
restaurants and bars in London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.

The ALPA council posted the warning on its Web site,
recorded it for its 800-number and sent e-mails to
the pilots. The union leaders issued the alerts after
United and American airlines flight crews reported
being watched in those cities.

Luckey said he met Tuesday with Northwest security
managers to discuss ways of alerting pilots to threats
and the threshold for assuming a threat is legitimate.

Northwest declined to comment Thursday, spokeswoman
Mary Beth Schubert said.

--------------------------------------------------

[EarBlock]

Vista, while I certainly do recognize the severity of this issue and the importance of being vigilent on this board....I must tell you that it was the somewhat condescending tone of the private message you sent me that hit me the wrong way. Perhaps you didn't mean it that way. I'm sure you didn't....just please remember that there are more genteel and tactful ways of explaining things. Had you said..."I understand your desire to find out this information and this is not an attack on you, but I need to make you aware....etc., etc", that would have been fine. However, I felt like a 1st grader being scolded. I've been flying for nearly 20 years and have been in management positions and no one knows the importance of security more than I do....we all make mistakes, though, and again to this forum...if I inadvertently said something I shouldn't, my apologies.

[Vistajetset]

Here is the message (or very close to it) that I sent everyone who had participated in that post about the commuter hotel. It was an effort to explain why the post was deleted and why we won't be able to have future posts about hotels:

"Please refrain from posting any further information on the publicly viewable boards about hotels where crews might stay. This is becoming a serious situation with US airlines right now. I will be posting a warning on the main board. Thank you for your cooperation."

I responded to one post on this topic with this message:

"I hope you didn't get the wrong idea. I didn't mean to imply you offended anyone. I'm only making everyone aware that it's not a good time for us to have that kind of information on our boards. images/icons/wink.gif "

I rarely take any action as a moderator, but when I do I try to be succinct and to the point. The information about this threat is new and I tried to get it out as quickly as possible. I'm confident that I exercise good judgement and I'm sorry if anyone on the board felt my messages were condescending. I never meant to imply anyone had made a mistake.

Thank you for sharing your feelings. Should there be occasion for me to send any private messages to members in the future, I will make a greater effort to not offend them. Everyone feel free to send me a message if ever you think I'm out of line. Thanks and fly safe! images/icons/smile.gif

[ 07-10-2002, 12:56 AM: Message edited by: Vistajetset ]

[EarBlock]

Vista, thank you....I appreciate that.

No hard feelings, okay? And you guys be safe.