French fury over US treatment of air staff

French fury over US treatment of air staff
By Kim Willsher in Paris (Filed: 18/01/2004)

www.telegraph.co.uk


In the latest bout of Franco-American squabbling, hundreds of Air France
pilots and cabin crew who have French nationality but were born in Muslim
countries are furious at being singled out for stringent security measures
when they land in the US.

Some of the 324 affected employees complain that they were treated like
"terrorist suspects" after being separated from fellow cabin crew and
grilled for up to four hours by security agents on arrival at American
airports. The treatment, they say, was "discriminatory and insulting".
The security measures are outlined in a directive from the Transportation
Security Agency (TSA), one of a raft of institutions created by President
Bush in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks. It targets crew born in
Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Indonesia and
Egypt - countries which the American authorities regard as particularly
dangerous sources of terrorists.

The directive stated that the targeted crew would be required to undergo a
one-to-one interview with an agent from the TSA. If necessary, it continued,
they would be forced to return to France. The directive also advises Air
France not to use the foreign-born crew members on flights to Cincinnati
because airport staff there lack the facilities needed to conduct the
security interviews.

One Moroccan-born stewardess who flew into the city was prevented from
leaving when officials could not conduct her interview. Instead, she was
driven for eight hours to Atlanta, nearly 500 miles away, and forced to fly
back to France as an ordinary passenger.

Guillaume Pollard, an Air France pilot, said that even crew unaffected by
the tightened security measures were considering boycotting flights to
America in protest at the measures.

He said: "We all condemn this action against our colleagues. I am outraged
by the measure. All the personnel concerned are French, even if they were
born elsewhere. Some of them are from French parents but were born abroad.
This is racial discrimination."

Although the directive has been issued to all European airlines, including
British Airways, it has caused particular fury among crew in France where it
is seen as the latest blow to US-French relations since Paris opposed
military action in Iraq.

The French were irritated when America caused the cancellation of three Air
France flights to America over Christmas, citing security fears.

Marc Allot, an Air France union representative, said: "When I heard about
this directive I couldn't believe it, but the company is doing nothing.
Perhaps there are strategic, political and commercial concerns, but we
shouldn't accept such shameful discrimination."

Philippe Decrulle, deputy secretary general of the CFDT-Air France union,
said that strong action was needed. "The crew affected by these measures
have flown regularly to the United States for years. All of them have a Type
B professional visa which means that they have already undergone detailed
checks. Why make them go through it all again?"

A spokesman for Air France said that it had lodged an official complaint
over the measures, but recognised that "the American authorities have
sovereignty over their own territory".

After receiving complaints from Air France crew, however, the French
pressure group Movement Against Racism and for Friendship between Peoples
(MRAP) said that it was investigating whether legal action could be taken
against the US for racial discrimination.

It called on the French government, which has declined to comment on the
directive, to condemn the American action.

BA has given staff from the countries in question the option of not flying
to American destinations.

(First posted by John Dundas in alt.airports.uk.edinburgh)

One Moroccan-born stewardess who flew into the city was
prevented from leaving when officials could not conduct her
interview. Instead, she was driven for eight hours to Atlanta,
nearly 500 miles away, and forced to fly back to France as
an ordinary passenger.

If she was driven to Atlanta, I can guarantee that she was driven
there in handcuffs. Even Michael "Doesn't everyone sleep with
boys?" Jackson was handcuffed on his way to the police station.

Philippe Decrulle, deputy secretary general of the CFDT-Air
France union, said that strong action was needed. "The crew
affected by these measures have flown regularly to the United
States for years. All of them have a Type B professional visa
which means that they have already undergone detailed checks.
Why make them go through it all again?"

We'll probably see Tom "Be vigilant" Ridge soon demand that Air
France crews be implanted with microchips.

I wonder when Delta will discuss this entire matter with the TSA,
as Air France is Delta's SkyTeam partner. This could really hurt
Delta's business.


Casey

"Casey" wrote in message
hlink.net...
One Moroccan-born stewardess who flew into the city was
prevented from leaving when officials could not conduct her
interview. Instead, she was driven for eight hours to Atlanta,
nearly 500 miles away, and forced to fly back to France as
an ordinary passenger.

If she was driven to Atlanta, I can guarantee that she was driven
there in handcuffs. Even Michael "Doesn't everyone sleep with
boys?" Jackson was handcuffed on his way to the police station.

Philippe Decrulle, deputy secretary general of the CFDT-Air
France union, said that strong action was needed. "The crew
affected by these measures have flown regularly to the United
States for years. All of them have a Type B professional visa
which means that they have already undergone detailed checks.
Why make them go through it all again?"

We'll probably see Tom "Be vigilant" Ridge soon demand that Air
France crews be implanted with microchips.

I wonder when Delta will discuss this entire matter with the TSA,
as Air France is Delta's SkyTeam partner. This could really hurt
Delta's business.


Especially if Air France decides to cancel all flights to the U.S.
permanently, and ban incoming U.S. flights to France. Hell, just break off
diplomatic relations and let Shrub explain it!

None wrote:

Especially if Air France decides to cancel all flights to the U.S.
permanently, and ban incoming U.S. flights to France. Hell, just break off
diplomatic relations and let Shrub explain it!

Shrub? Explain? "We don't need no stinking explanations."

See

http://www.lucianne.com/threads2.asp?artnum=106968

for a comprehensive review of American opinion on this topic.

cheers,

Henry

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 07:56:56 +0200, (Henry) wrote:



See

http://www.lucianne.com/threads2.asp?artnum=106968

for a comprehensive review of American opinion on this topic.


From Netsol's whois:


lucianne.com

Registrant:
Lucianne S. Goldberg Literary Agents, Inc. (LUCIANNE-DOM)
255 West 84th Street
New York, NY 10024
US

Domain Name: LUCIANNE.COM



That's Lucianne Goldberg of Lewinsky/Clinton fame.OK, I don't want to
be guilty of the same process by which Ted Kennedy's opinions are
being dissed. Lucianne has the right to have a site where posters echo
her own positions, but they ain't representative of much. Shall we
just say they are a bit more one-sided than American opinion is?

On 18 Jan 2004 14:09:50 -0800 (Be Positive) wrote:

:French fury over US treatment of air staff
:By Kim Willsher in Paris (Filed: 18/01/2004)

:www.telegraph.co.uk

:In the latest bout of Franco-American squabbling, hundreds of Air France
:pilots and cabin crew who have French nationality but were born in Muslim
:countries are furious at being singled out for stringent security measures
:when they land in the US.

Like the vast majority of Americans care.

Hell, they may even support doing the checks on all French. Just to keep them
out.

--
Binyamin Dissen
http://www.dissensoftware.com

If the French/airline cabin crews from Muslim countries have a problem
with the security here in the states, well they can find another job.
They don't have to be cabin crews. They can grow grapes or make
pastries.... :-) .

If the French government is upset about the 3 French airliners that were
prohibited to fly into the US during the Christmas holidays..... Well
too bad. We don't owe you anything.

Binyamin Dissen wrote:

On 18 Jan 2004 14:09:50 -0800 (Be Positive) wrote:

:French fury over US treatment of air staff
:By Kim Willsher in Paris (Filed: 18/01/2004)

:www.telegraph.co.uk

:In the latest bout of Franco-American squabbling, hundreds of Air France
:pilots and cabin crew who have French nationality but were born in
Muslim
:countries are furious at being singled out for stringent security
measures
:when they land in the US.

Like the vast majority of Americans care.

Hell, they may even support doing the checks on all French. Just to keep
them
out.


I sure do. It's like we *really* need any more Muslim pukes entering the
country.

--
Best
Greg

In article ,
(Jo Jo) wrote:

Well
too bad. We don't owe [the French] anything.

That's a remarkably ignorant statement; you have a significant amount of
gratitude owed to the French for no less than the creation of your own
country. The financial and tactical aid you got in the American
Revolution was widely acknowledged and appreciated after you won. Its
shameful to see how easy some people neglect their own history. On the
plus side, and contrary to popular belief, your Congress isn't quite as
ignorant, and have reaffirmed this indebtitude as recently as 2002, when
they passed a bill to acknowledge and honor the Marquis de Lafayette
with only the sixth honorary citizenship of the United States of
America, in PL107-209 http://uscis.gov/graphics/pl107209.htm

BCS wrote:

That's a remarkably ignorant statement; you have a significant amount of
gratitude owed to the French for no less than the creation of your own
country. The financial and tactical aid you got in the American
Revolution was widely acknowledged and appreciated after you won. Its
shameful to see how easy some people neglect their own history. On the
plus side, and contrary to popular belief, your Congress isn't quite as
ignorant, and have reaffirmed this indebtitude as recently as 2002, when
they passed a bill to acknowledge and honor the Marquis de Lafayette
with only the sixth honorary citizenship of the United States of
America, in PL107-209 http://uscis.gov/graphics/pl107209.htm


Thanks for the update, Rip van Winkle.

We saved France's ass *twice* in the last century, so they owe the US a
*lot* more than we owe them (not that the Frogs would admit it)

--
Best
Greg "rolling eyes"