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CNN Live Today

Flights Arrive at LAX

Aired September 13, 2001 - 14:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
AARON BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This "new normal" that we are crawling towards, and that's really what is happening across the country, true baby steps, can be seen in Los Angeles International Airport where international flight or flights have now arrived. There were some 30,000 people stranded in Canada. Some now getting home. Chris Burns is there and can tell us more about the scene at LAX -- Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I can. There is quite a few people getting off buses here. They just got off an Alitalia flight that arrived from Calgary. They were there for a couple of days. That flight was diverted from a flight between Milan and Los Angeles. And the flight has now come to Los Angeles. With me is one of the passengers who was on the plane. His name is Vicen Sularium (ph) .

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

BURNS: Vicem, how do you feel right now getting off that plane?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel very relieved. I'm very happy to be home, at least.

BURNS: But, pretty anxious, weren't you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very anxious. And we've been in the hotel waiting for the phone call that we've been calling, calling the airline, when is the flight going to take off? They would just keep on telling us we would have to wait in the hotel room until we call you.

BURNS: How was the security like today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was very tough. We were in the airport for -- since after midnight. And the plane took off about 9:00 a.m. Calgary time.

BURNS: How did they search you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thoroughly. It was very, very intense. We had to wait in lines and lines, and everyone was being searched very intensely.

BURNS: How were they searching you actually? What were they looking for?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Through the handbags, and like every small things they were questioning. And they were looking for some weapons, I guess.

BURNS: Squeezing out toothpaste tubes, things like that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything. Everything. Even cameras, everything battery operated stuff.

BURNS: How long did that take, how many hours?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That process took about like three hours, and then we had to wait in the plane until we get the clearance to airway.

BURNS: How did you feel about getting on this flight two days after those two, those three, those four planes were crashed?

BURNS: I know, terrible news. But I feel very happy to be home, for now.

BURNS: Relieved?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very much. Very much.

BURNS: Your among about 170 people who were on that plane. What was the mood on that plane, and among these people who are getting off right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody were anxious just to get to their final destination. And everybody was happy. And the scene in the terminal was just phenomenal. Just like as if in the movies. Never seen LAX like this, so much -- so many cops. And it was just like a ghost town.

BURNS: Really?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

BURNS: How emotional was there -- were the people on the plane?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very emotional. Everybody was anxious just to get to their home and feel safe.

BURNS: Why don't we back up. On Tuesday, when your flight was diverted, what was said on the plane? What did the captains say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They just said that they cannot land in the U.S., and they had to land somewhere in Canada, because all the airways were blocked. We didn't know what was the reason until we landed in the airport, and everybody tried to make phone calls.

BURNS: And when you landed, and you found that out, how did you feel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We couldn't believe until we went to the, actually hotel and opened up the TV, and actually saw what happened. I mean, it just -- until how, it just doesn't sink in.

BURNS: Did the though pass through your mind that you could have been on one of those planes on that day?

You were on a plane on that day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I was. Actually my brother is in New York right now. He was going to come from New York to L.A. And I talked to him, he's OK. He's fine. So...

BURNS: And do you think you will fly again, soon?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For now, I don't know. I don't know what to say.

BURNS: Maybe the security today gave you some confidence. What do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, if they do security like this, they'll build up the confidence in the people that they can fly, again. But otherwise, its really hard to say.

BURNS: Do you live here in Los Angeles?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I do.

BURNS: So, it's good to be home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, thanks you.

BURNS: Good feeling. Thanks Vicen, thanks very much.

We've got a few more people here getting off and on buses here. A scene of confusion as people try to find their families and their loved ones.

Excuse me are you from the Alitalia flight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

BURNS: You are from the Alitalia?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

BURNS: How does it feel to be on the ground now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. Something problem, because I don't know. Those guys saying right now I'm delayed, I don't know. Maybe it's just different. Maybe it stop today here, and got to go tomorrow. Maybe. I don't know.

BURNS: So you are waiting for a flight then, you didn't get off here from Alitalia?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, right.

BURNS: There's a mix here of people getting off the Alitalia flight, and looking to wait to get on flights as well.

What are your feelings about flying today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think everybody the same problem like that.

BURNS: How worried are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's terrible. It's terrible. This problem right now. Because I don't know why.

BURNS: Are you fearful about flying?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. And I lose almost three days right now in Los Angeles. I supposed to stay last three days before (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BURNS: Where are you from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Italy.

BURNS: From Italy. Right. So, you came off this Alitalia flight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.

BURNS: And now you're waiting for another flight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, other flight, maybe. I don't know, maybe coming maybe not. I could be canceled today, maybe coming tomorrow, or maybe. I don't know. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BURNS: What did you think about the security today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's hard, really hard.

BURNS: Very hard?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every person -- open and check everything inside.

BURNS: What kind of things were they looking at? What were they looking for?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Looking for something, pistol or knife or something like that. You know.

BURNS: Did that make you feel better, that that security was so tight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think so. I think so feel bad, because that's not -- that's not necessarily too much problem like this. That's before make it this problem. Not right now. Right now it's terrible. Yes.

BURNS: Let me ask you, when you found out what happened on Tuesday, you got off that plane, it was diverted to Calgary. How did you feel when you found out about the terrorist attacks?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow this is really terrible, because this is the first time in the history of this big, big problem. Exactly in the center of the New York.

I don't know those guys -- unbelievable those guys mention one year before they started this problem like this. Right now this is really, really close to those guys. Because it's exactly what they were doing. In Pentagon and Two Tower, and this really center of New York. I'm really surprised.

BURNS: Yes, right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really, really first time in this one.

BURNS: Thanks very much. Back to Daryn in the studio. Back to Aaron in New York.

AARON BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Chris thank you. I wouldn't call it a studio, but you've got the city right.

Thank you for your work out there today.

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