Asia-Pacific News
Palau president stranded in Philippines after airline hitch (Roundup)
Apr 3, 2008, 8:34 GMT
Manila - The president of Palau was forced to stay an additional night in the Philippines following a 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 his 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.
Remengesau expressed disappointment over what he called the 'unprecedented and disrespectful treatment of a head of state.'
'I am well aware of security concerns that airlines face and I support their efforts to keep flying safe, but there must be some room for the exercise of common sense in all decisions,' he said in a statement before leaving Thursday on a chartered plane.
'There must be respect for dignity of the highest level of government,' he added.
Alfonso Cusi, general manager of Manila's international airport, said Continental would be investigated for refusing to grant courtesy to Remengesau and his wife.
Remengesau returned to his hotel in Manila from the airport, while Philippine authorities ironed out the hitch and negotiated with Continental to waive the security check on the president as a courtesy to the visiting dignitary.
But the airline refused, citing strict US regulations.
Continental is the only airline that flies directly to Palau from Manila.
The Philippine government chartered a private jet to fly Remengesau and his wife home on Thursday.
Remengesau said he would raise the issue with regional airlines and the US Transportation Security Administration.
'I intend to bring this up with the regional airlines serving Palau as well as the US transportation administration so that we can ensure that respect and culturally appropriate treatment is accorded heads of state that will visit Palau,' he said.
COMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Good going Continental Airlines! The 'elite' always want special treatment. Hey, if he and his wife are so special, maybe the people of Palau can vote to get them their own jet....yea, when 'pigs can fly'. Oppps, did not mean any disrespect!!! HeHeheeee!
The airline should be banned from flying to Palau. This is a poor show.
The airline is regulated by the TSA and the Host Government. The host government has the authority to waive its security precautions, but not the TSAs. The head of state knows the regulations and could have appropriately requested the waiver from the US Embassy Manila in advance. The airline had no authority to waive the TSA regualtions at will and would have been cited.
The manager should be applauded by the TSA for standing up for their regulations despite such sigificant pressure.
The cause of the situation was the President's refusal. He knew of the procedures in advance and apparently got the publicity he wanted by causing an international incident, which got more international coverage than his state visit.
I'm a Filipino and I think what the airline staff did was extremely BOORISH and of bad taste. Law did not exempt them for being true, but common sense would hint to you that a head of state deserves the respect as a leader of a U.N. recognized sovereign state.
Who ever that airline staff is, is a total BOOR!
Oh get a life you people who think that President Remengesau was out of line. come to Palau and you'll see
I am from palau and proud to be a palauan.I do believe that everyone are subject to be frisk or go through the screening for security purpose and so forth before departure.But the President of Palau like other high official desreves respect and courtesy.I do not know exactly what happend but common sense does apply.
Continental officials did what they had to do for the safety of others and yes, they did the right thing.I believe that they were informed that our president will be boarding in that specific flight to palau.
But still i believe this issue could have been avoided if both party took part in singing some form of agreement or waiver for such courtesy to be allowed.
Its a shameful thing for a president to be rejected from boarding any airline as if he his a criminal.
I believe that our President did made the right choice for not being frisk with the continental officials.Ofcourse, were in the world would a president or the head of state agree to be frisk just to board a plane which will only take less than 4hrs flight.
page: 1
Mike in ManilaApr 3rd, 2008 - 14:00:39
I think any head of state should be treated with the same respect that every other passenger on a commercial flight is. A frisk is no less dignified for a president than anyone else. He above anyone else should appreciate the rules and play by them like everybody else. The real question is did he have more to lose than his pride by being searched? Seems to me he may have had something to hide.
Don't back down Continental. You did the right thing. As for the president, in my mind his actions should be an embarrassment for his countrymen.
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