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Airport to supply flashlights for Y2K

DIA officials prepare for 'worst-case scenario'

By Lynn Bartels Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer

Give flashlights and the people will find their own way -- out of DIA.

Airport officials have ordered tiny flashlights in case of glitches as 1999 turns into 2000.

"You have to look at things in a worst-case scenario," said Chuck Cannon, spokesman at Denver International Airport.

"If the lights do go out and people are wandering around, then the flashlights might be a good thing to have."

The 3-inch flashlights are inscribed "Y2K at DIA." Cannon described them as bigger than a finger and smaller than a standard flashlight.

"I don't know when we're going to start giving them out," Cannon said. "It will be that night.

"We don't anticipate anything happening so we think it's a nice souvenir," he said.

The airport ordered "several thousand" flashlights before most airlines cancelled a number of holiday flights, Cannon said.

No flights will depart DIA after 10 p.m. Friday, and only two will land, a United Airlines and a Northwestern flight.

Airline traffic on the eve of a holiday is traditionally slow, records show, but attendance this year is even more sparse because of concerns about computer crashes.

Contact Lynn Bartels at (303) 892-5327 or bartelsl@rockymountainnews.com.

December 29, 1999

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), December 29, 1999

Answers

Well, that ought to take care of any problems. Why didn't I think of that?

Thanks as always, Homer, for putting it up.

-- semper paratus (always@ready.now), December 29, 1999.

Saw a similiar item (forget where!) about pregnant women being issued flashlights while being admitted to hopsitals to crank out bambini. Hope it isn't true. Can you imagine what that would do to your confidence & feeling of well-being...?

-- welcome to (the@middle.ages), December 29, 1999.

Wonder do all those proud new flashlight owners realize they're gonna be lined up and marched out to the runway edges and told to shine their new flashlights "thataway" so the flights caught up in the blackout can land?

You think those folks are gonna get something as Y2K valuable as a flashlight for NOTHING?

WW ;)

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), December 29, 1999.