Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Passengers Stranded at London's Heathrow Airport, Gaza Pullout; Defibrillator Defects

Aired August 12, 2005 - 06:30   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is DAYBREAK, and I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello. Good morning, everyone. Chad Myers will have your forecast in a moment.
Also coming up this half-hour, the headache at London's Heathrow Airport, flights cancelled, thousands stranded. A live report coming up.

But first, "Now in the News."

Britain has a message for radical Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Mohamed. Don't come back. British officials are banning his return from Lebanon. Mohamed had faced possible terror incitement charges for comments he made after those July 7 bombings that killed 52 people.

A traffic stop turned into a gun battle in suburban Atlanta. A gunman killed a police officer, then ran into a post office. Postal workers fled. A standoff ended when the gunman killed himself.

The federal government is suing Tyson Foods, alleging race bias. The suit comes after two African-Americans claimed someone at the company's Ashland, Alabama, plant posted a "whites only" sign on the bathroom door.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, we've been talking this morning about that big travel mess at London's Heathrow Airport. At least 20,000 passengers are stranded after British Airways cancelled all of its departing flights. The whole thing started over a labor dispute.

Let's get the latest now from our Richard Quest, who is at Heathrow -- Richard.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, since we last spoke, they have now started to call the first passengers to go from outside in the marquee into the terminal, where they're going to be able to be rebooked.

But don't get excited, because it's still going to take another four hours or so once you get in before you can rebook your tickets.

Fredricka, what this is showing is the absolute chaos that has now hit the British aviation and transport industry with this dispute at British Airways. Thousands of passengers basically do not know when they are going to be able to leave Heathrow.

And, frankly, until -- my experience suggests that it's going to be several days before there's any form of clarity. Yes, some passengers will be rebooked on one or two flights. But I was just checking before I came to talk to you. All of the other flights, for example, to New York are pretty much booked up as B.A. moved passengers across. Same to Los Angeles. Same to San Francisco.

And it's heartbreaking in many ways, because there are people here, they're obviously the business traveler, but there's families going on lifetime holidays. There are people trying to get home. And this is what they're having to put up with in terms of eating. This is what's being offered for people. You can have a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, a bag of chips, a bottle of water, an apple, and maybe one bit of memory you wouldn't want, some British English...

WHITFIELD: Biscuit?

QUEST: Well, it's a good old-fashioned bit of cranberry and orange cake.

So, I'm afraid that's really all people have got to look forward to, and about, I would say, a six to eight-hour wait just to find out which plane you're going to be on.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh! Well, at least they're getting a little vittles out there. But, frankly, they might as well just take the train or something back into the city and hang out there for a while, because how miserable to just hang out outside the terminal, Richard.

QUEST: Well, you see, that's the whole point. I mean, if you can -- if you don't actually have to travel today or tomorrow or the next day...

WHITFIELD: Yes.

QUEST: ... then, yes, you are better off probably going back in. And don't forget one other thing, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: What?

QUEST: People traveling from the United States over to Britain on B.A. are going to have an equally grim time...

WHITFIELD: Oh, man!

QUEST: ... because, of course, the planes haven't left here to go there to come back here.

WHITFIELD: Whew! It is a mess. All right. And it's just the beginning, it sounds like. Thanks a lot, Richard.

The grounding of British Airways is having a ripple effect around the world, including here in the U.S., as Richard was just explaining. Angry passengers are left holding their bags from California to New York. The most popular international destination for British Airways is New York City.

Lisa Cabrera of our affiliate station WNYW talked to some frustrated passengers at JFK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LISA CABRERA, CNN AFFILIATE WNYW REPORTER: Talk about a travel nightmare, this is the never-ending line at British Airways, where employees are working double time trying to keep people calm.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've gotten almost no help here, no information. There's no information desk, no signs, nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's only person helping, and the only thing she is saying is move back, move back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been away for seven months, and it's not how I wanted it to turn out.

CABRERA (voice over): Frustrations for hundreds of passengers standing in line at British Airways at JFK. The carrier cancelled all flights in and out of London's Heathrow Airport at least until 6:00 p.m. Friday. British Air is sending irate travelers to other carriers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I get there, that flight is totally booked. So, now I'm back here again for another two hours.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have to be in France tomorrow (INAUDIBLE).

CABRERA: Passengers are getting handed this letter. It explains how the airline's catering company is on strike, which prompted the ground staff at Heathrow to do the same.

British Air releasing this statement, saying: "I would like to apologize unreservedly to our customers. It is a huge disappointment to us that we have become embroiled in someone else's dispute. I have urged the Transport and General Workers Union and Gate Gourmet managers to resolve this dispute and end this misery for our customers."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Boy, what a mess. It's going to span a few more days.

Well, cancer has been getting an awful lot of attention this week. CNN's Carol Costello joins us now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Hi -- Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: How are you doing, Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing good.

COSTELLO: You're doing a great job. Thanks. Good morning.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta will join us for the conclusion of his special series, "The War on Cancer." Today, we'll meet a little girl with a rare and often fatal form of cancer. It paralyzed her from the waist down. It almost killed her. But an experimental drug may have saved her life. So, why does the company that makes it want to stop production? We'll take a look at that.

Plus, has your power bill, your electricity bill, gone through the roof, thanks to this summer's heat wave? We will have some simple money-saving tips for you. I promise they are simple, and they'll save you lots of cash.

Oh, Fredricka, have you looked at your electric bill? I'm afraid to each month.

WHITFIELD: Oh, god, it's scary.

COSTELLO: Mine was up to 250 bucks!

WHITFIELD: Yes. Mine was at least that.

COSTELLO: OK, so...

WHITFIELD: I'm not happy about it.

COSTELLO: Me neither. That's why we're going to have the wonderful Clark Howard on to tell us how to save some money.

WHITFIELD: Oh, good, I need some tips. Bring it down.

COSTELLO: Stick around. We have them.

WHITFIELD: All right, very good. Thanks, Carol.

Well, Israel tightens its grip in Gaza. Coming up, how a security crackdown is actually the latest step toward a controversial pullout. Stay tuned.

Also, it could literally be a life-and-death decision. Electronic defibrillator recalls, and what they could mean for people who have already had them implanted. That's straight ahead.

Here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It's time now to check international markets. They're down. Japan's Nikkei closes down a point-and-a-half. Britain's FTSE is trading down almost 10 points. And the German DAX is down 13.

It's a controversial move by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Beginning next week, some 8,500 Jewish settlers in Gaza must leave their homes. As you can imagine, tensions are running high.

For the latest, let's go live now to Gaza and our Guy Raz -- Guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we're in Neveh Dekalim. This is the largest of the 21 Jewish settlements here in Gaza. If we can just pan a bit to my right, it will give you a better sense of where we're at.

You can see some of the red-roofed homes behind us. Most of those homes are still inhabited. This is a community that sits right o the edge of the Mediterranean Sea.

Now, the Israeli government has set down a deadline, midnight, August 14. It will be illegal for any Israelis to remain in these settlements.

Now, many have already started to pack up and move. The farmers of the Gaza settlements have signed a $15 million deal with private donors to sell their hot houses, their green houses, to those donors, which will then be transferred, handed over, to Palestinian farmers.

Now, the problem for Israel's army may not necessarily come from the residents here but from infiltrators. It's estimated 2,700 infiltrators, many of them young people, have managed to sneak into the Gaza settlements over the past several weeks and months.

And as you can imagine, this decision by the Israeli government is very controversial. Overnight, there was a mass demonstration in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. About 200,000 people gathered in one of Tel Aviv's main squares to protest against the government's decision to pull its citizens out of this strip of land. It was first occupied in 1967.

And the organizers of that demonstration called on those attending to do all they can to try and prevent this evacuation from taking place, perhaps even blocking roads that lead into the Gaza settlements to make it difficult for Israel's army to arrive into these areas to begin the process of evacuation -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Guy Raz, thanks so much.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is now about 17 minutes before the hour. And here's what's all new this morning.

A fugitive couple from Tennessee face an extradition hearing in Columbus, Ohio, this morning. George and Jennifer Hyatte had been on the run since Tuesday. Police say she helped her husband escape custody, killing one guard in the process.

In money, it's going to cost you more to fly, and you can blame it on rising oil prices. United, Delta, US Airways and Continental have increased the costs of a ticket. Other airlines are thinking about doing the same thing.

In culture, movie star Angelina Jolie is granted official Cambodian citizenship. It's to recognize her environmental work there. The Oscar-winning actress will donate $5 million to set up a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia. She also retains her U.S. citizenship.

And in sports, Baltimore Orioles slugger Rafael Palmeiro is back, but not back in the lineup. His 10-day suspension for using steroids is up. It might be a couple of more days before Palmeiro starts again.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, how would you like to make this choice? Have a dangerous operation to replace a possibly defective defibrillators or take your chances and leave it implanted in your chest? Defib recalls are on the rise, and they could have a human cost as well. That story is straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, welcome back. It's about 12 minutes before the hour, and here is what's going to be making news today.

Two people accused of killing a prison guard during a courthouse escape in Tennessee have an extradition hearing this morning. George and Jennifer Hyatte were arrested in Columbus, Ohio, Wednesday night.

The Bush administration today will propose new rules to screen the host families of foreign exchange students and regulate agencies that sponsor them. The move is in response to a public outcry about sexual abuse of foreign exchange students in the U.S. Some 28,000 youngsters come to the U.S. each year on exchange programs.

And NASA is again counting down to liftoff of the Mars orbiter. Authorities rescheduled the launch of the spacecraft due to a computer glitch. The new two-hour window for liftoff begins in about 30 minutes from now.

Also this morning, NASA engineers are busy trying to figure out why that piece of foam broke free during space shuttle Discovery's launch.

Let's check in now with CNN's Soledad O'Brien for a look at what's coming up in a few minutes.

How are you?

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Fred. Good morning to you.

Yes, we'll hope that the orbiter can take off. The weather, hopefully a lit bit of an improvement over yesterday. And as far as the space shuttle Discovery goes, we're going to be talking this morning to the entire crew. We'll talk with the astronauts about the 14-day mission, some of the trouble they had, too, and also the decision to ground the shuttle fleet. And we'll ask them what they've been up to since they landed on Tuesday.

Plus, have you heard about that New York City health commissioner now asking restaurants to stop serving food that has trans-fats? What foods have trans-fats in it, you might be asking yourself? This morning, we talk to diet expert Dean Ornish (ph) about what kinds of foods you should avoiding when you're eating out.

Those stories and much more ahead this morning, Fred, on "AMERICAN MORNING," right at the start of the hour.

WHITFIELD: All right, we look forward to that. Thanks a lot.

A major health concern for heart patients now. Thousands of defibrillators that are implanted in the chest may not work. The devices are supposed to shock the heart back into action, but the Texas company that makes them is now recalling the devices.

"USA Today" broke the story. Reporter Ginger Gadsden of "USA Today" joins us now from McClain, Virginia, to talk about the issue.

Good to see you, Ginger. Well, this is pretty frightening. What seems to be the problem with these devices that they are not working properly?

GINGER GADSDEN, "USA TODAY": Good morning, Fredricka.

The devices we're talking about are called ICDs, or implantable cardioverter defibrillators. They are about the size of a pager, and they're inserted into the chest.

And now, for people who have a sudden cardiac arrest, that's when the heart beats so chaotically, it just stops beating. The ICD, well, it monitors the heartbeat, and it if detects an irregular beat, it shocks the heart back into action.

Now, some of the ICDs have a flaw that could cause them to short- circuit just when the patient will need them to work the most. So, it's very frightening for the people who have them implanted.

WHITFIELD: Options are -- the options are either keep it as is and hopefully everything will work out OK. Or if you're a patient with this type of device to have it surgically removed, which in part may introduce a whole host of other potential problems such as infections that come with these kinds of surgeries, right?

GADSDEN: Yes, you're exactly right. But two of the companies that make them, Guidant and Medtronic, they make these ICDs. And they're telling the patients that they do have the choice of keeping them, but they will replace them for free. Medtronic right now has 87,000 patients, and so far 13,000 have replaced them by mid-May. And Guidant is offering its 21,000 patients who have the devices, well, they're offering them a free replacement as well.

And you do have two choices. You can either keep them in place, or you have surgery to replace it.

We have a story on two women who have taken two different paths. Nancy Bartlett, who is 41 years old, she decided to keep hers. And Natasha Fleishman, who is 36, well, she had hers replaced. And they each had their own reasons for keeping or replacing it.

Bartlett, she was 41, and she's had hers for three years. And in that time, Fredricka, it has actually saved her life six times.

WHITFIELD: Wow!

GADSDEN: So, she knows that hers is working, but she knows that any day that it could actually fail. And Fleishman, who is 36, had her replaced because the battery life of these things is four to seven years. And she said she would have to have it replaced at some point anyway. So why not do it now?

WHITFIELD: Wow! And so, are there any real common denominators for those who are deciding to go ahead and take the risk, if we can use that term, of getting the surgery? Is there something that many of those patients have in common with one another as to why they decided to go ahead and get surgery again?

GADSDEN: I think it's just a matter of personal choice, Fredricka, and what you're comfortable with. If you feel comfortable having surgery again and you're willing to risk the chance of infection, then that is the choice that you make. And if you feel -- if yours have saved your life six times already, then you probably feel pretty comfortable with it and are willing to take your chances.

WHITFIELD: All right, Ginger Gadsden of McClain, Virginia, "USA Today."

When we come back, more headlines and a look at your travel forecast. This is DAYBREAK for Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: And perhaps a nice birthday gift might be a DAYBREAK coffee mug. What do you think, Chad?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, I'm not sure whether Peter, the winner, has a birthday today or not, but we'll see.

Here are the questions from yesterday and the answers. How much does Space Adventures charge you to fly tourists to the moon? They say they can do that in three or four years, maybe. One hundred million dollars. And how much does Delta Airlines claim to lose every time oil prices go up by a buck a barrel? And because they use so much fuel, $60 million is how much it costs them every time that oil price goes up a buck.

And the winner is Peter King from Signal Mountain, Tennessee. Congratulations. The mug is in the mail, Peter.

You can win another one right here if you want and if you can answer these two. You've got to have them both. Who is "Esquire" magazine's best-dressed man? I didn't even come close. And what two national restaurant chains are actually banning smoking altogether?

CNN.com/daybreak. If you go there, the bottom of your screen there will be a link. Click the link. Give us your answers.

WHITFIELD: All right. (WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: "Now in the News."

Thousands of airlines passengers are going nowhere fast at London's Heathrow Airport. British Airways cancelled all of its departing flights until this evening. A strike by workers at a food service company and a supporting walkout by ground staff led to the cancellations.

Britain says it has barred a radical Muslim cleric from returning to the country. Omar Bakri Mohamed left London last week for Lebanon. British officials say he faced possible incitement charges for comments he made following the deadly July 7 bombings on London's transit system.

According to AAA, we're paying a record price for gas this morning. A new nationwide average for self-serve regular is over $2.40 a gallon. Diesel is even higher at almost $2.50 a gallon.

A California man faces weapons possession charges in New York this morning. Police say 59-year-old Vernon Jay Welker (ph) was arrested after trying to enter a United Nations parking garage. Authorities say Welker (ph) was armed with a pistol, a rifle, more than 200 rounds of ammunition and a large knife.

Now it's time for "AMERICAN MORNING."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.