Terror Alert

Those were the words that my daughter Inslee’s instructor flashed on the screen as she settled in for her final lecture at the London School of Economics in August. Two days later she was scheduled to fly from Heathrow back home to Virginia. I first learned of the London threat when the phone rang at 5 AM Virginia time. Inslee was on a short class break and she was calling from her cell phone asking what we knew, which was nothing. Over the next few hours, we learned of canceled flights, new security regulations, and eventually the arrest of suspects with others at large. My first concern was how to get my soon-to-be-21 baby home safely and quickly. Being in the trade, aviation that is, I quickly divided an international charter fare by ten, Inslee and her other college buddies, and decided a second mortgage was worth it to get her back safely and quickly. A call to a friend in a high place in the world of business jet charter resulted in, “I am sure I can find a plane” and a promise to get back to me.

I discovered later I was lucky to even get a hello as that day resulted in a record number of calls for charter aircraft. As after 9/11, the demand for air charter, both international and domestic, has seen a sharp up tick. Some press reports mention over 60%. As men forfeit their shaving cream and tooth paste and women $500 cosmetics at security gates, business jets travel is getting more and more attention. It’s too bad such awful events are giving this boost to our industry. We have always touted efficiency, speed, and comfort, but security was never first on the list. Unfortunately it now is.

Inslee’s Gulfstream turned into a United 777, the same one she was originally booked on. She spent 6 hour making new friends at Heathrow and flying home with the lightest carryon in her short traveling career – a baggie.