Palau president stranded after Continental Airlines refuses to let him board
Palau president stranded in Philippines after airline hitch
Posted : Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:12:05 GMT
Manila - The president of Palau was forced to stay an additional night in the Philippines following his state visit after he was not allowed to board his return flight because he refused to be frisked, officials said Thursday. President Tommy Remengesau was scheduled to leave Manila after a two-day visit on Wednesday evening aboard a Continental Airlines flight to Palau.
But the flight took off without Remengesau and his wife Debbie after the Continental crew did not allow them to board because the president refused to be patted down, a security procedure at airports.
"We expected better treatment accorded to a head of state," said Palau Ambassador to the Philippines Ramon Rechebei. "The airline demanded that he be frisked before entering the plane otherwise he would not be allowed to enter."
Rechebei said it was decided that Remengesau would not go through the security procedure, and stay another night in Manila to allow protocol officers to iron out the kinks.
He added that Palau may file a formal complaint against the airline through diplomatic channels.
Alfonso Cusi, general manager of Manila's international airport, said Continental would be investigated for refusing to grant courtesy to Remengesau and his wife.
Continental is the only airline that flies directly to Palau from Manila. Philippine authorities arranged for a private jet to fly Remengesau and his wife home on Thursday.
Philippine authorities had requested Continental Airlines to waive the security check on the president as a courtesy to the visiting dignitary. But the airline refused, citing strict US regulations.
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...and what if Continental had let him enter the flight un-frisked and Mr. Remengesau had blown up the plain? I bet there would be some fingerpointing at how badly they would have handled that situation just because he happened to be a president of a country.
When this happened to the PNG Prime Minister in Australia it sparked a diplomatic spat.
Fact it was a president of a country and diplomatic protocol must be used .
Why would the president of Palau (where the hck is that anyway) blow up the fricking plane????Originally Posted by Ichhabe
Because they hate our freedom, duh.
Because they hate our freedom, duh.
I am certain these words will make great jokes in the 23rd century
Because you can't trust anyone these days. President or not, gloves on and bend over!
Doesn't seem to bother you that bush doesn't get frisked, why then should any other president?
It's a commercial airline.
Right, bc Bush takes Continental Airlines everywhere he goes. Think about it.
hank
Jeez, Tommy Remengesau is a head of state. It's his office that Continental goes to for his signature to get landing rights in his country. Head of state of a sovereign nation. If Continental doesn't understand the meaning of that then it has no business flying international routes.
Also applyable for Bush,Pope John Paul II,Queen Elizabeth?
If I have to bend over, why should not they do the same?
...eh! If Pope John Paul II came on a flight now, I would really have started to wonder. I definatly would at least scanned him real good.
President of Palau. So that's sort of like being the captain of the chess team, right?
Palau is small, but it is still a sovereign nation. So I'd rather be its president than a sports team captain (and why did you pick chess anyway?)
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