Mideast Hijacking

I would like to warn any of your readers who has any regard for his life or safety to avoid the Athens airport like the plague. Security measures there are frankly a joke.

Oh yes, they appear to have all the “modern” equipment, but it either does not work or isn’t monitored. Let me give you a frightening example.

Shortly before the TWA jet was hijacked my wife and I flew out of Athens. I always wear a very heavy silver belt buckle that always sets off the metal detector alarm in every airport I’ve ever flown from--except Athens.

When I walked through the metal detector and no alarm sounded, I asked the totally uninterested attendant if it was out of order, or simply not turned on. He looked at me blankly, and went back to talking to the other two guards. None of them were monitoring the baggage X-ray either.

We could have walked onto our plane with submachine guns. The hijackers brought on hand grenades and pistols instead. What ensued continues to be front-page news.

Sensible travelers would do well to avoid Greece until their government starts showing some interest in the safety of air travelers there.

J.G. BARNARD

Santa Barbara