After hearing the news that an American Airlines jet had crashed in New York yesterday, Nursing sophomore Carrie Marshall ran home to call her family and make sure her father and her step-father, who are both pilots for American Airlines, were safe.
- Paul Wong
- Observatory Lodge, an apartment building operated by the University located at the corner of Washington Heights, will undergo renovation in December.<br><br>JOHN PRATT/Daily
“I knew my dad was flying, so I ran home and made sure they were OK,” she said. “I just hope it”s not terrorism. All I could think was, “Oh God, not again.””
Marshall was unable to reach her father, who was in flight, but said she talked to her step-father, who assured her that he did not think the crash had the markings of a terrorist attack.
With a scheduled trip to Texas planned for winter break, Marshall said she still intends to fly and hopes yesterday”s apparent accident will lead to tightened air safety and security.
Marshall, like most Americans living in the post-Sept. 11 world, has begun to fear the worst upon hearing of any dramatic disruption to life as usual.
Other students crowded around a television monitor in the basement of the Michigan Union watching the news reports expressed their sympathies for the residents of New York but said they were not worried about flying in the next several months.
“I really wasn”t sure what to think,” said LSA sophomore Francis LeGasse. “I felt bad for New York again another plane crash but, no, I”m not worried about flying now.”
LSA senior Jason Fountain said he has no reservations about flying now or in the near future. “This is just another accident,” he said. “I”m planning on flying to Florida in December. If anything, flying is safer now that it ever has been. This could have happened at any time.”
With all airports in the New York metropolitan area closed for hours following the crash, planes scheduled to depart from Detroit Metropolitan Airport on their way to New York were canceled.
Northwest Airlines spokeswoman Kathy Peach said more than 15 flights had been postponed by midday at Metro, one of Northwest”s primary hubs.
Metro Airport spokesman Michael Conway said the airport would arrange to help anyone unable to get to their final destination.
“If we did end up with stranded passengers, the county would be able to provide hotel accommodations,” he said.