Live data from Hacker News

Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

bbc.com

31–40 of 90 posts

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#31
post #9

I love these quirky stories like these. In an alternate universe where people would think a bit more kindly of strangers, they might have given him a low level job instead and a place to stay. And I just woke up.

It doesn't seem from the article like the man was in need of a job but rather some encouragement about that the fears are overblown, maybe even some mental health check, who knows.

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#32
post #3

Reminds me of https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terminal

Which was itself (very loosely) based on the real-life story of the guy who lived in Charles de Gaulle airport for many years: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehran_Karimi_Nasseri I saw him there once in 2005.

he lived there almost 18 years - incredible

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#33
post #27
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After a couple weeks, he's just a familiar face - that one guy that's always the first to show up for work each day.

And oddly enough, the last one to leave.

Not odd, he's just a workaholic with no family :)

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#34
I'm not sure I understand the story. A guy flew from US to US (but is he a US citizen?). When it came time to leave the airport he showed a stollen ID. The airport staff didn't let him leave (but didn't arrest him?). He was then given the option to return (?) but refused since his place of origin has more Covid than the US (is there such a country?). Then people kind of let him be and he was able to eat simply base on the kindness of the few people using the airport for the passed 3 months.

I feel like I am missing a lot

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#35
Given the circumstances over the past year and the impact on mental health, maybe this is too harsh a punishment for this guy. I mean he didn't destroy anything or do anything wrong besides stay in what was probably an empty secure area.

Help the guy get home and then provide psychiatric care. Have we all lost any sense of compassion?

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#36
post #22
post #2

"Based upon the need for airports to be absolutely secure so that people feel safe to travel, I do find those alleged actions do make him a danger to the community." That is such an obvious non-sequitur, shoot-the-messenger attitude to security. The "danger to the community" stems from the officials at the airport who failed to make the airport safe and prevent this sort of situation from developing.

It seems like this was a bail hearing, where “danger to the community” is a condition—-and not a particularly rigorous one—-required to set bail[0]. Since his bail was set at $1000 according to the article, it seems like the judge also didn’t believe this guy was really all that dangerous either. It’s important not to confuse this finding purely for bail purposes from a preliminary exam with any actual finding of gui…

Is it fine for the judge to say false things in the court if it's a part of the protocol?

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Came here to say the exact same thing. If anything him living for 3 month in a highly secure area without doing anything nefarious is proof that he is not a danger to the community. What is wrong with that judge, if it was the prosecute saying this ok, but the judge?!

They often reason backwards. They want to order bail, but danger-to-community is a required condition for bail (as pointed out in another comment), so they proclaim that he is indeed a danger.

So is it ok for the judge to lie?

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#38

Airport security theatre apparently completely collapsed into a bizzaro world where wet streets cause rain and actors behave like they are on strong drugs. So, we are talking about the area you are in after a flight, yes? Remind me, BBC, why is that a "secure" area? In case people smuggle bombs/weapons on a flight, just do nothing on the flight and than harm people afterwards?! I get that you want the are to be a one…

> > lived undetected in a secure area of Chicago's international airport for three months, US prosecutors say.

> Remind me, BBC, why is that a "secure" area?

Isn't this a question for the US prosecutors?

Failing that, if you want to blame the press, the Chicago Tribune? They felt the need to also include a photo.

Re: Man found 'living in airport for three months' over Covid fears

#39
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which was itself (very loosely) based on the real-life story of the guy who lived in Charles de Gaulle airport for many years: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehran_Karimi_Nasseri I saw him there once in 2005.

he lived there almost 18 years - incredible

What about this 18 stay in an airport is incredible? Incredibly sad perhaps.

From reading the Wikipedia he seemed to be quite stubborn as both Belgium and France offered residency, but for whatever reason he wanted to go to Britain?

Post reply on HN