!!PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE!!

This article is a follow up to yesterday's article which Iain posted.

Here is the letter which Iain & Julia sent to United. It is included here so that it could be cut and paste somewhere else - but is also available as a downloadable Microsoft Word document.

Feel free to use all or part of the letter in your own letter to UAL. If we are to achieve anything we must move quickly to create awareness within United - layoffs are imminent.

United Airlines
Customer Relations-WHQPW 
P.O. Box 66100 
Chicago, IL 60666
USA                             September ----, 2001

Re: 	United Flight 929/ LHR to ORD/ September 11, 2001 

    Flight Deck Crew: Captain: Mike Ballard
                First Officer: Terence Hartsfield
                First Officer: Rick Richard 

       Cabin Crew: Supervisor: Paul Garforth
                       Purser: Natasha Gagarin

            Flight Attendants: Nancy Seige       Jennifer Evans
                               Wayne Merritt     Judith Bliss
                               Zoe Brew          Colleen Donnellan
                               Pedro Tosti       Sarah Rowe
                               Suzana Aliagas    Bianca Ince
                               John Lee Callewyn Veronica van Craenenbroeck

Dear United Airlines,

We was were passenger on UA Flight 929 that left London's Heathrow airport at 11:00 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 bound for Chicago. Due to the terrorist attack on America later that day, our flight was diverted to Gander airport, Newfoundland. We subsequently spent the next 5 days in Gambo, Newfoundland before finally continuing on UA929 to Chicago arriving at 10:30 am on Sunday, September 16.

The purpose of us writing this letter to UAL is to inform you of our utmost praise, respect and love for the wonderful crew of flight UA929 who did everything they could to keep us informed of events as they unfolded and took each one of us into their hearts and treated us as if we were family.

Right from the start of this ordeal, Captain Mike Ballard and his flight deck crew did everything they could to keep us informed of the events as they unfolded. During our unscheduled descent into Gander, 3.5 hours from Chicago, despite not knowing the travesty that had hit at home, Captain Ballard reassured and calmed the bewildered and worried passengers of their own safety and the integrity of our 777 aircraft. Upon arrival in Gander we had been made aware that there had been a major disaster in the US and in an effort to better inform the passengers, the flight deck crew were able to raise BBC World Radio which was then channeled into the audio system so all the passengers could listen and be informed.

The moment news came across the audio system about the nature of the events that had occurred in New York and Washington, tremendous shock and sadness descended upon the passengers and cabin crew, many of whom were visibly distressed and upset at what they had heard. At that time and despite their own feelings of loss and pain, the cabin crew set about comforting the many passengers who needed support. It was a time of great emotional stress at hearing of the shocking attacks at home and also not knowing of what was to become of us. It was to be almost 24 hours that we were all to spend together on our Boeing 777 before disembarking. In this time the crew was confronted with many problems ranging from a malfunction in the aircraft's bleeder valve that provides air conditioning , to a lack of food for every body on the aircraft.

Through all this, the crew were upbeat and friendly and did their wholehearted best to keep us informed, reassured and comforted. Some passengers were distressed about relatives who might have been in the WTC or the Pentagon or onboard the planes that were involved in the attack. Communication during this time was very difficult. Yet, for every one of these passengers, the crew tried and in many cases succeeded, in connecting passengers with their loved ones, sometimes sharing their own cell phones, to at least,touch base and ease the anxieties of their passengers. During this 24-hour period, most of the passengers became familiar with the flight deck crew and cabin crew of UA929 and we felt very, very privileged to have been the recipients of their professionalism and caring.

The ordeal for UA929 and her passengers and crew did not finish with our disembarkation. The passengers were taken off to the small town of Gambo, about 30 minutes from Gander airport, while the crew were housed in a hotel in Gander. For the rest of our stay in Newfoundland the remaining 196 passengers were cared for by the Salvation Army and the people of Gambo who took us into their community and opened their hearts and generosity to the large influx of stranded passengers. We wish to also take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of these most dear people of Newfoundland who treated as their own and pulled out all stops to ensure our safety and comfort.

During our time in Gambo, we were delighted with and excited by periodic visits from Captain Ballard and his crew. With each visit came an impromptu meeting at which Captain Ballard followed by other crew members would brief us as to our current status as well as the procedures that would be followed when we were finally to re-board UA929. Each meeting concluded with many questions from various concerned passengers, to which the crew always did their best to provide an informative answer and always in a friendly and sympathetic fashion. In some cases the crew did not have immediate answers but took note of the passenger's name and their question so that they could subsequently contact the appropriate authority and get the information that was required-this was then relayed back to the passenger from the crew at their hotel. After these meetings the crew would then mingle with the passengers engaging in conversation and getting to know each one of us on a more personal level.

UA929 finally departed Gander on the morning of Sunday, September 16. For many of us , Chicago was not the final stop and further connections were required to get to our destinations. We again are so very grateful to Captain Ballard and the crew for ensuring that United Airlines Operations were made aware of our plight. Because of this, we and many other passengers were able to be placed on connecting flights and get to our destinations that same day without further delay.

It is very difficult for us to find all of the appropriate words to commend the flight deck and cabin crew of UA929. We feel that we were truly blessed to have had such wonderful and professional people at our service, who always put the needs of their passengers before their own and who will forever remain in our hearts and minds. This letter seems such a small token of our appreciation, but we truly hope that in writing, the extraordinary efforts and humanity of this crew will be duly recognized and rewarded by the United Airlines corporation.

Yours sincerely,

Iain L. Campbell
(Premier 100K; MPN 00168168764)

Julia R. Campbell
(MPN: 00308100553 )

encl. Photographs.