“Airport” Haley in summary
The novel takes place in January 1967, Friday night from 18.30 to 1.30 at the International Airport. Lincoln in Illinois. Three days and three nights over the Mid-West states, the strongest storm is rampant, all airfield services are working with extreme strain. About a hundred planes of two dozen airlines did not rise on time in the air, many cargoes, including perishables, accumulated in warehouses. One runway failed: “Boeing-707” moved off the concrete cover and got stuck in the ground, which was damp under snow. In the terminal building, chaos reigns, waiting rooms are packed to capacity, thousands of passengers are waiting for departure, some flights are delayed, and others are canceled altogether. Despite the end of the day, the airport manager Mel Bakersfeld is in no hurry to go home, the situation on the airfield is heavy: at the limit there is a powerful snow-removing equipment, a car with foodstuffs disappeared into blizzards, the jammed plane can not be moved in
In the radar is the brother of Mel Case. Nobody knows that he has already determined everything for himself: the last time he sits in front of the screen and carries a watch. He rented a hotel room near the airport terminal, where he decided after his shift to commit suicide by taking forty pills of Nembutal. Dispatchers are now working with the maximum load, and Keizu is difficult, he has long lost his skill and confidence, although he was an experienced worker before. He is thirty-eight years old, of which about fifteen he worked in the air monitoring service. A year and a half ago, when he was serving in the Lieber Center for Surveillance, two airplanes collided in his air in the air, a family of four died, two of them children. During the investigation, the partner was found to be the culprit, Casey, an intern and senior in the group, but Keys believed that the fault lay entirely with him. Because of him, people died, broken lives of colleagues who were detached from aviation. He lost rest and sleep, feels remorse and anguish. Natalia’s and Mel’s wife Natalie and Kesya tried in every possible way to get him out of the depression, but without success.
The same evening, residents of the nearby town Meadowwood, who are annoyed by the noise of aircraft, intend to hold a demonstration of protest at the airport. Proidocha lawyer Elliott Fremantle is called to help them sue, hoping to make good money on this business.
To move the jammed plane out of the city, the chief mechanic Joe Patroni is summoned from the city, but the one on the way to the airport gets into a traffic jam – a roadside car with a trailer capsized.
Mel is annoyed: the airfield was built in the late fifties and until recently was considered one of the best and most modern in the world, but the traffic volumes increased and the airfield became obsolete. The runways are overloaded, creating dangerous situations for the passengers, the planes landed and took off on intersecting lanes, and the city authorities huddled in the costs of reconstruction. With the future of the airport, the future of Mela is connected. It was unpleasant when a wife, wanting to hurt more painfully, called him a loser. He is already forty-four years old, he fought in naval aviation in Korea and was wounded; in such a bad weather, as today, a crippled leg aches a bit. His career seemed to be developing successfully, at one time he headed the Council of Airport Managers, was friendly with President John F. Kennedy, he was going to put at the head of the Federal Aviation Administration,
Today, a flight to Rome is sent to the plane “Trans-America”, which is piloted by Vernon Dimireth, the husband of the elder sister Mel. He and his son-in-law have a rather tense relationship. Before the flight, Diemeste visits his mistress, the stewardess Gwen Meigen. His excellent mood, fueled by iridescent dreams, how gloriously they will spend time together in Italy, somewhat darkens Gwen’s message, that she is pregnant, but he does not see any special problems, the company helps to settle such matters.
In the meantime, the former construction contractor DO O. Guerrero, embittered and driven to the extreme by his failures, in his wretched apartment, from where he must be evicted in the near future, makes an explosive device of dynamite sabers. After his construction company went bankrupt, he tried to engage in land speculation, but was confused, now the threat of criminal prosecution and imprisonment looms over him. Guerrero took on credit a ticket for the plane “Trans-America”, flying out tonight to Rome, hoping to hedge at the airport for a large sum, and during the flight to blow up the plane. The family will be able to get insurance, because the cause of the incident will not be established – the wreckage of the aircraft will be in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.
And the plane to Rome is being prepared for the flight. Surrendered one of the four engines, electricians and mechanics promptly eliminate the problem. Departure is delayed for an hour, because of snow drifts on the roads passengers of this flight do not have time to reach the airport in time. Guerrero acts according to a carefully designed plan, an explosive device he will carry on board the aircraft in a suitcase. The cashier, however, is alarmed that the passenger of the international flight is sent on the road without luggage, but he does not pay special attention to this circumstance. At the counter, where the insurance is made, the employee marks the nervous-excited state of the passenger concluding the contract for a considerable amount, but not in its interests to lose an advantageous client. The wife of Guerrero Ines, who worked as a waitress at the bar, returning home, to her surprise, finds a document, that the husband suddenly went to Italy. Very disturbed, she hurries to the airport to find out the circumstances.
The strange behavior of a passenger with a suspicious suitcase attracts the attention of the customs inspector, but he is already out of duty, when meeting he talks about this fact to Tanya. But the plane to Rome already took off, and the number of passengers did not agree with the number of tickets sold – this ubiquitous old woman decided to travel.
Seeing that his brother is going wrong, Mel intends to talk to him heart to heart, but do not give it to Cindy, who came to her husband to demand a divorce. Arriving at the airport Ines, who wants to report on the strange act of her husband, also fails to get to the reception to Mela: at this time he is engaged in negotiations with a delegation of protesters Meadowwood residents. Finally, Tanya manages to inform the manager about suspicions that have arisen against one of the passengers of the last voyage. The conversation with Inée and the prompt investigation confirm the hypothesis of Guerrero’s possible intention to blow up the plane. By special communication, a warning radiogram is given on board. The crew decides to go back, but in the meantime try to take possession of the suitcase, which is in the hands of Guerrero. The case attracted Adu Quonsett, who turned out to be his neighbor. Acting talent of the old woman helps to play the scene and take possession of the suitcase, but all spoils the interference of one of the passengers. Snatching the suitcase, Guerrero rushes to the tail of the plane, an explosion is heard. The fuselage is damaged, there is a depressurization of the aircraft. On board the panic, passengers hastily put on oxygen masks. Stewardess Gwen Meigen is seriously injured. Thanks to the skill and courage of the chief mechanic, Joe Patroni is finally able to release the second strip of the airfield. To put the plane in distress is brought to Keiz, who masterfully copes with the assignment. The experience causes him to abandon the idea of suicide, he goes home with the firm intention to withdraw from aviation and start a new life. And Mel, dreaming of rest and peace of mind, leaves with Tanya. Buran is over, the situation at the airport is gradually normalizing.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)