Pan Am 103
 

Hard to believe the guy is still alive...1988

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https://nypost.com/2020/12/16/new-suspect-in-1988-lockerbie-terror-bombing-to-be-charged/

Didn't he get released because he was supposedly at death's door? Then magically was cured when he got home?

Such a heinous act. I hope they get him, and it is hard to believe he's escaped justice all these years.

I flew Pan Am to Europe about 10 days after that occurred (I was PCS'ing to Germany). I remember people being a tad nervous on that flight.

Ironically, when I PCS'ed out of Germany 3 years later I flew the very last Pan Am flight out of Frankfurt. They threw an actual party at the gate, with buffet, drinks, etc. Just trivia.

Was flying Pan Am significantly different from other carriers? Better service etc...?

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12 gauge behind the woodshed. Blam. Then feed to the pigs. Over and done in about two minutes.

Pan Am and TWA were international carriers known for their luxurious 747s back when flying was still glamorous. I'm sure they had an economy class as well but that's not what they were known for. A bygone era... :cool:

Exactly. Pan Am and TWA were the icons of international travel back in the golden days. TWA took it for granted (unofficial motto: "customers are born faster than we can piss them off") and Pan Am was just mismanaged out of existence. I do believe Pan Am was targeted by these terrorists at least partially because they were an American icon.

My dad did a lot of business in Japan in the 60's, and he flew both carriers there a lot. My brother and I looked forward to him bringing all the collectibles and handouts they gave international travelers back then.

This flight came down in my wife's half brother's neighborhood. Hearing him tell the stories when he was visiting us a few year back.... He was a first responder and continued further as the "clean up" took place, unbelievable..... The second brother stayed with us as well at the time, as their collective dad was passing away here. The other brother is convinced that the PTSD (not a common term back then) from this crash was the cause of the first brothers marriage collapse.

Cheers

My father lost a good friend on that flight, Jim Fuller, president of VW of America.

RIP Mr Fuller.

They should have got the Israelis to deal with the problem. No one saw anything.

Yes

good friend missed the flight..
partied to hard the night before..
he was ETS'ing...


Rika

When I moved to England in the late 80s, my first international flight, it was on Pan Am. The flight attendant got on the intercom and told us that they were not full and we should all find a row and stretch out.

I flew back to the US several times over the next couple of years. On one occasion I was on Pan Am and had an entire 6 seat row to myself. Put the arm rests up and made a bed.

When Flight 103 happened, I was back in the US for a few weeks. Let's just say flying back to England was a little scary. But not nearly as bizarre as flying to Germany when I moved there on September 15, 2001 with my wife and 9 month old son. The pucker factor was very high on that date.

30 Students from my college were on the flight. One of my college room-mates was scheduled to be on the flight, but missed it due to being hungover.

I flew from India back to the US on Pan-Am less than 2 weeks after and it was a mess at the Delhi-Airport

JEEBUS OMG... I'd bet that was devastating for everyone at the College. How did they ever recover from something like that? :(

I completely understand people being nervous flying right after a big catastrophe, (it's on everyone's minds), but the truth of it is that statistically speaking, it's the safest time to fly. :)

He graduated with a serious Drinking problem. I've lost track of him...I was working internationally for many years and this was before e-mail.

For a college with only 3,000 students, it was HUGE. Everyone knew someone on the flight. I graduated in 1988!

BP was instrumental in getting him released to "be with his family" in his last days. Haven't bought gas there since.