Airport Story

 There's this episode that occurred yesterday at the Frankfurt Airport, and it's worth a moment to discuss what happened.  This was reported via HR (our public TV folks).

As most of you know....passenger traffic is contained to just Terminal One (Terminal Two is shut-down because of marginal flights scheduled).

Once you enter the Airport structure....you MUST wear a mask....period, no exception.

So this guy was walking around the interior of Terminal One....with no mask.

German police noted this and did the hand-signal as they approached....hinting....you need the mask on.  Maybe the hand-signal was ill-conceived or just misunderstood.   

Reaction by the traveler (with a suitcase or two)?  He yelled "I will kill you all, Allah Akbar."   Yes....not even a 'damn' or 'screw you'.....just direct to some threat.

You can imagine the two cops standing there, and they've got enough stress on a normal 8-hour duty day.  

At this point, he took off (without the suitcases) and the German cops chased him down.  No trouble in catching him.  Then they carried him to the station in the Airport.  

Now.....here's the thing.  They didn't really bother with the suitcase or two....leaving them there.  So this second incident starts up.....various people reporting unattended suitcases.....fear that they might be 'booby-trapped'.

Somewhere in the midst of all this action....some folks report seeing some armed man (maybe there was one....maybe not).  So this set up a whole security situation....even down to the subway station in the Airport.

Several hours were spent on lock-down, because of the Akbar guy, the bags, and the report of some armed guy.

This Akbar guy?  The police eventually decided that he seemed rather crazy and irrational....so he's been sent to a enclosed facility in Frankfurt, for a mental review.  

German or non-German?  Well....no one much talks about that angle of the story.

So here's the thing....a whole bunch of flights got pushed back......hours and hours.  

There's this regulation about Frankfurt....flight activity has to shut-down by 11 PM.  Last night....they issued one of those rare waivers....take-off could go up to midnight.  

As for the Akbar guy?  My humble guess is that he'll remain at the facility for at least a week.  Relatives might show up and note that he's on tranquilizers or medication, and that might speed-up the release.  Charges?  If he's not noted as a nutcase.....yeah, there's probably some kind of charges coming up. 

You know...with all the hassle it is in traveling....with Covid-19 tests, fear of virus infections, and limited options on flights/times....this is just something that you should not have to worry about....some nutcase at the airport.