Too many thefts on Air Force One: White House grooms journalists
When you ask an av geek what airplane he or she dreams of flying in, the answer is trivial and [...]
When you ask a av geek which plane he dreams of flying in, the answer is trite and repetitive: the Boeing 747 or theAirbus A380, Almost a rarity in the world's skies, or the Concorde (now impossible).
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For those who fly higher - pardon the pun, I had to - the most coveted aircraft is, without a shadow of a doubt, theAir Force One.
Air Force One: why it's called that and how big it is
The expression "Air Force One," in mass culture, identifies the Boeing VC-25 (the military version of the 747-200), i.e., the plane of the President of the United States of America; to be precise, however, those three little words identify thecall sign Of the USAF aircraft-the U.S. Air Force-in which Mr. President travels.
U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Danielle Hopkins
Precisions aside, Air Force One is undoubtedly one of the aircraft that most intrigues enthusiasts around the world, whether because of its rarity - Are, in fact, only two VC-25s produced and currently in use by the USAF - you want for the veil of mystery (and legend) that has always shrouded the world's most famous presidential plane: some of the features of this particular aircraft, in fact, have been made known (electronic countermeasures to block enemy radar, rockets to avoid heat-seeking missiles, and so on) while others, for obvious security reasons, have been classified.
Let's give some numbers: 3 levels, 370 square meters, 12,550km range (with the possibility of in-flight refueling), 2 kitchens capable of providing up to 2000 meals and serve 100 people at a time: it is no accident that it is called a flying home in its own right. When the President of the United States is in the air, it is as if he were in the White House: Air Force One is not used "only" as the President's flying office but, in case of emergency or accident, can be used as a military command center (as was done, for example, during the September 11, 2001 attacks).
Too many thefts during presidential flights
Okay, all very interesting...someone, however, may be wondering: but is there a possibility of Flying on this beautiful bird? The answer is, of course, no unless you become the most powerful man in the world or you are a journalist; provided, however, that you do not steal anything during presidential flights...
In the past few hours, news of the email sent by theWhite House Correspondents' Association To reporters: "it is forbidden to take items off the plane, such behavior adversely affects the press. If you have accidentally taken something off the plane, we can help you return it without fuss"; this, in a nutshell, was the message addressed to journalists accused of stretching their hands a little too far.
Pillowcases e towels branded, glasses, cups, cutlery e dishes with a golden border and presidential coat of arms-these are just some of the items that mysteriously disappeared from the presidential jet. In February, following President Biden's visit to the west coast of the United States, it was made an inventory of Air Force One and it was found that quite a few items were missing from the rear press section of the aircraft.
Stealing items on Air Force One: a long-standing practice
Not everyone knows this, but when the White House tenant makes a trip he is always accompanied, in addition to his staff and a host of Secret Service agents, by 13 accredited journalists. In spite of what you might think, the press does not travel for free (or even with points - pardon, dutiful joke): expenses for flights, as well as meals and beverages served on board, are paid by the media; the only souvenirs journalists receive are packages of M&Ms with the seal and signature of the president.
@ BBC
"Stealing" items with the Air Force One symbol. would seem, however, to be a common practice for many years. One journalist in particular - Misha Komadovsky, White House correspondent for Voice of America - boasts a not inconsiderable collection of articles graciously taken during presidential flights: "I did not embarrass anyone or commit any wrongdoing to put together this collection", he said in an interview with the Bbc, while casually holding a paper cup with the Air Force One logo.
What items are the most stolen from planes
We've got you covered: as soon as you read about the thefts on Air Force One, you had to laugh. But are you sure you have a clear conscience and have never pocketed any items while traveling? Let's face it: it has happened to everyone, at least once, to hide their eye mask or infotainment headphones in their suitcase. There are also those, however, who go a little too far...
In fact, according to a survey, it appears that some companies have suffered so much so many thefts to decide to remove certain items from its service. Cathay Pacific, for example, has decided to retire the salt and pepper dispenser from business class service because they were "over-appreciated" by travelers.
Finnair, on the other hand, when it became aware of the mysterious disappearances of crockery made with Finnish brands iittala and Marimekko, decided to start selling them in its own shop.
Last but not least, another item stolen far more than often from airplanes is soft fleece, useful for sleeping warm. There are also those who, then, decide to resell their loot: Etihad's blanket, highly valued by travelers, is sold for no less than $100 in various online portals.
