Travelers scrambling as U.S. suspends layovers

[Judi Lynn]

Travelers scrambling as U.S. suspends layovers

Now must purchase $100 visa

Morgan Lee
Associated Press
Aug. 9, 2003 12:00 AM


MEXICO CITY - The suspension of two programs that allowed travelers without visas to pass through the United States is causing logistical nightmares for thousands of Latin American and Asian passengers who are scrambling to reroute flights or get emergency documents.

If the suspension becomes law, it could discourage passengers from using U.S. airlines in the future, travel agents warned.

The U.S. government on Aug. 2 suspended for at least 60 days the programs that allowed foreigners to stop over in U.S. airports without visas while awaiting flights to other countries.

The Homeland Security and State departments explained that terrorist groups had been planning to exploit the programs to gain access to the United States and its airports. (snip/...)

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[liberalnurse]

1. Well, isn't that what airport screeners are for?

Why did we bail out the airlines if we are going to discourage flying?

I guess thats another debt we won't get paid for.....

[sasquatch]

2. They want to destroy the airlines

so one of their rich freinds can buy up the airline industry.

[Art_from_Ark]

3. I have heard that foreigners in transit

were escorted to a secure waiting area until they boarded their plane. So if this is true, how could terrorists "exploit the programs to gain access to the United States and its airports"?

[pansypoo53219]

4. budget gimmick

Tommy fucking Thopson was a fan of cutting taxes and raising fees.

[DagmarK]

5. The biggest obstacle in the airlines' view are those damned UNIONS!

"Those f'ing employees!! Always so demanding, dontcha know!"

Kill the airlines.....ensure the CEOs get taken care of, and then rebuild a REAL industry -- where employees can be treated like dirt and exploited till the end of time.

Ah.......Amerika! The great dream!

[bpilgrim]

6. the 'war on terrorism' will destroy us...

we patted ourselves on the back with what we did to the russians in afghanistan... and that was just 1 country, the poorest on the planet and it brought down a super power.

the sooner poindexters systems are up the more vulnarable we willl be as they rapidly and efficiently point out our 'potential' threats...

they won't wake up till their systems tell them that everyone is a possible threat, or has it already and that is what this is all about :scared:

i am sure the neo-cons see this as a 'positive' revenue boost :crazy:

peace