Please attack Switzerland During Office Hours only..

[petetherock]

http://news.yahoo.com/swiss-fighters-grounded-during-hijacking-outside-office-hours-182241347.html

Be grateful for our RSAF....

Geneva (AFP) - No Swiss fighter jets were scrambled Monday when an Ethiopian Airlines co-pilot hijacked his own plane and forced it to land in Geneva, because it happened outside business hours, the Swiss airforce said.
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• Ethiopian co-pilot hijacks plane to seek Swiss asylum AFP
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• Co-pilot hijacks Ethiopian plane, lands in Geneva MarketWatch

When the co-pilot on flight ET-702 from Addis Ababa to Rome locked himself in the cockpit while the pilot went to the bathroom and announced a hijacking, Italian and French fighter jets were scrambled to escort the plane through their respective airspaces.
But although the co-pilot-turned-hijacker quickly announced he wanted to land the plane in Switzerland, where he later said he aimed to seek asylum, Switzerland's fleet of F-18s and F-5 Tigers remained on the ground, Swiss airforce spokesman Laurent Savary told AFP.
This, he explained, was because the Swiss airforce is only available during office hours. These are reported to be from 8am until noon, then 1:30 to 5pm.
"Switzerland cannot intervene because its airbases are closed at night and on the weekend," he said, adding: "It's a question of budget and staffing."
Monday's hijacking, carried out by 31-year-old Hailemedehin Abera Tagegn, according to Addis Ababa, took place in the very early hours, with the aircraft and its 202 passengers and crew landing safely in Geneva at 6:02 am (0502 GMT).
That was just two minutes after the airport opened for business, and two hours before the Swiss airforce is operational.
Savary said Switzerland relies heavily on deals with its neighbours, especially France, to help police its airspace outside regular office hours.
He explained that French fighters can escort a suspicious aircraft into Swiss airspace, "but there is no question of shooting it down. It's a question of national sovereignty".
Swiss airspace is under constant electronic surveillance, he pointed out, adding that the wealthy Alpine nation is also studying the possibility of expanding its airforce coverage to a round-the-clock operation.
That plan is however not set to kick into action until 2020, when Switzerland is expected to replace its fleet of fighters with Swedish Gripen planes.
The purchase of the Swedish planes meanwhile rely on whether it is approved in an upcoming popular vote, with a poll published Monday showing 53 percent of Swiss oppose the deal.

 

[ricohflex]

That's good. They know what they are doing. Everything is calm and under control. No need to panic. The Swiss are too busy admiring the Rolexes on their wrists to bother. No wonder the Ethiopian guy wanted to go there. Relax....... don't over react.

 

[kei1309]

That's good. They know what they are doing. Everything is calm and under control. No need to panic. The Swiss are too busy admiring the Rolexes on their wrists to bother. No wonder the Ethiopian guy wanted to go there. Relax....... don't over react.

 

[Yutaka Go]

Swiss standard of living - low stress even when they encounter hijacking incident :bsmilie:

Unlike SG, where going to work on overcrowded and frequently break down MRT, can be extremely stressful

The hijacker said he aimed to seek asylum so I believe it will end peacefully

 

[ArchRival]

Luckily Sg is nothing like Switzerland. :bsmilie:

 

[UncleFai]

Luckily Sg is nothing like Switzerland. :bsmilie:

But we are aspiring to be like them.

 

[Octarine]

Luckily Sg is nothing like Switzerland. :bsmilie:

Have a closer look and you will see the similarities.

 

[Octarine]

Do we really want to know..? :bsmilie:

 

[Exposure]

my goodness ! the swiss air force "closed shop" after office hours ! first time hear this kind of armed forces !

 

[Exposure]

But we are aspiring to be like them.

ya loh..

 

[Shizuma]

my goodness ! the swiss air force "closed shop" after office hours ! first time hear this kind of armed forces !

the privilege of being a neutral country

 

[hanzohattori]

the privilege of being a neutral country

Singapore is international country, everyone's money is in it :bsmilie:

 

[kelccm]

The political and geographical landscape around Switzerland is vastly different from Singapore. Switzerland, being a landlocked mountainous country, does not fear so much from an aerial threat, when compared to the tiny island of Singapore. Plus it surrounded by a bunch of much friendlier neighbours as compared to Singapore.

 

[Yutaka Go]

Singapore is international country, everyone's money is in it :bsmilie:

Switzerland have money than SG :bsmilie:

 

[9V-Orion Images]

It always has been Adolf Hitler wishes to invade neutral Switzerland during World War II and even once stated openly to Benito Mussolini that "Switzerland possessed the most disgusting and miserable people and political system. The Swiss were the mortal enemies of the new Germany" but Operation Tannenbaum was called off due to logistical challenges of conducting a mountain warfare in the Alps.