Aero-News Staff -- And Readers -- Reflect On 2005, Look Ahead
To 2006
As you may be able to tell by looking at a calendar, turning on
the evening news or listening to VH1 (it only hurts when you
actually watch the videos... or, eep, shows) the end of 2005 is
almost here... and with it, comes the time for EVERYONE to reflect
on the events of the past year, and well as to speculate on what
the new year -- by our best estimates, that'd be 2006 -- will
bring.
"The enraging fact is that a non-union baggage handler
ran into the side of the plane moments prior to take-off... and
that it was never reported."
Source: Alaska Airlines Flight 536 passenger
Jeremy Hermanns, recounting on his blog the incident aboard
Monday's flight from Seattle to Burbank, CA. A crease in the MD-80s
fuselage, caused by a baggage handler who ran into the plane with a
tug (and who failed to report the incident), blew at 26,000 into a
footlong hole -- causing the aircraft to depressurize and the
flight crew to beat a hasty retreat back to Sea-Tac. The incident
has called into question the safety of Alaska's use of contract
employees from Menzies Aviation, instead of unionized company
employees.
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