3/14/2006
Traveling in style
Ever wonder how former presidents of the United States travel around the country? Well, they don't fly on Air Force Three, Four or Five, because there are no such planes. They actually fly on the same jets with us commoners.
I witnessed George H.W. Bush hopping aboard a Continental flight Monday morning. Here's how it all went down:
I was sitting through a long flight delay at Fort Lauderdale International airport, starring out the window at the tarmac. A couple of uniformed security guards walked out of the terminal and were joined by a couple of suits. They stood around for about 10 minutes, scanning the tarmac and talking into their walkie-talkies. Then an armored truck slowly circled the area and stopped about 50 yards from the gate. Then a convoy of vehicles arrived. There were two identical, black Chevrolet Suburbans, led and followed by two black sedans, and surrounded by five police cars, lights flashing.
Secret Service types popped out and did their usual assessment, then unloaded luggage. Finally, Mr. Bush the Elder energed from the first Suburban and walked up the steps and into the plane. There was no one for him to wave to, except his Secret Service detail. Other than a few other people like me standing by the window, no one else even knew he was there.
My guess is that Mr. Bush did not have to sit in Economy, back by the toilets, in a middle seat.
