The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story

Flight Attendant Audrey:
Only one day for a layover. How's a girl supposed to work on her tan?

Flight Attendant Jane:
Oh, Audrey! Think about it. What other job pays you to get a suntan?

Purser Uli Derickson:
How about a lifeguard?

Flight Attendant Audrey:
Lifeguard! Yeah! And there's a cheap wardrobe!

[after being denied landing clearance in Beirut]

Ben Zimmerman:
They turned off their VOR. And the runway lights.

Phil Maresca:
We have mountain elevation just beyond the airport.

Captain Testrake:
And the sea on the left. We have six minutes of fuel left and they turn the lights off. Where do they expect us to land, downtown Beirut?

[sighs]

Captain Testrake:
Okay, we'll make one more approach.

Phil Maresca:
We'll put her down in the water if we have to.

Captain Testrake:
No, we're going to go for the runway. Uli, tell him we may have to crash land.

Purser Uli Derickson:
[referring to Castro] He says, good, that will keep him from having to blow up the plane.

Flight Attendant Audrey:
[while checking the overhead compartments on the plane] You know, I found a baby up here, once? Did I ever tell you that?

Flight Attendant Jane:
You're kidding!

Flight Attendant Audrey:
No! The mother left it up here, and she went to the ladies.

Purser Uli Derickson:
[to a pregnant woman and her husband] Oh! Looks like three are traveling for the price of two here!

Purser Uli Derickson:
[singing "Heimatlos" in English] Homeless are many in this world. Homeless and lonesome like me. I earn my money everywhere, but no one's waiting for me. No friends. No lovers. No one's waiting for me. No friends. No lovers. Like it was so long ago.

[repeated line]

Castro:
America murderer! America Satan!

Castro:
Understand? You stay with me, we agree? You stay.

Purser Uli Derickson:
Don't hurt anyone.

Castro:
We agree?

Purser Uli Derickson:
Just don't hurt anyone else.

Castro:
Which way is East?

Purser Uli Derickson:
We're flying East.

[Castro kneels down and starts praying]

Purser Uli Derickson:
You just about killed someone and now you're going to pray?

Castro:
Who killed more people in the name of God, Muslim or Christian? Tell me.

[pause]

Castro:
Now I pray.

[over the P.A.]

Purser Uli Derickson:
Ladies and gentlemen... uh, the plane is being hijacked. The Captain has agreed to cooperate with the hijackers and take them wherever they wish to go. So please, for the sake of everyone's safety, just do exactly as you are told.

[after shooting Robert Stethem and throwing his body on the tarmac]

Castro:
Now they will listen.