Profile for LizS

Re documentary comment in an earlier thread

I love this story and (as a Canadian) have been familiar with it since that terrible day.  Just to add a bit more information for those who don't know - over 200 planes landed in Canada in total - Gander was not a unique story.  The people of Halifax performed in much the same way but because it is so much larger the stories became diffuse quickly (47 planes landed there versus 38 in Gander)

Here is a lovely book about the Gander plane people

https://www.amazon.ca/Day-World-Came-Town-Newfoundland/dp/0060559713

 

They took care of us, and everyone else with no place to land on 9/11-13.

One other point that has been less in focus is remembering *why* the planes were diverted.  The U.S. closed its air space due to fears there were other terrorists on inbound planes with similar intent.  500 planes were bound for the U.S. - half had enough fuel to return to their point of departure but half had to land .... but couldn't land in the U.S. so Canada permitted them to land.  So not only did the people of Gander (and elsewhere in Canada) open up their homes and hearts but there was the very real risk of terrorist activity.  Therein endth the lesson. :)