Air farce!

Remember on Sunday morning, that story breaking about the holidaymakers refusing to let a plane from Malaga to Manchester (a real terror threat route if ever there was one?) take off until the two suspicious Asian men had been removed.

Part of me at first thought it was understandable that people would be jittery, but presumably if there was anything odd about these two men, the tighter-than-ever security at Malaga would have spotted them.

But no. A handful of package-holiday tourists have to go and place themselves in the headlines. Like Jo Schofield.

Here's what she told the Mail on Sunday: "The plane was not yet full and it became apparent that people were refusing to board. In the gate waiting area, people had been talking about these two, who looked really suspicious with their heavy clothing, scruffy, rough, appearance and long hair."

Gosh, long hair! And they had scruffy appearances too! When did you last look good at the airport?

She continues: "Some of the older children, who had seen the terror alert on television, were starting to mutter things like, 'Those two look like they're bombers. There was no fuss or panic. People just calmly and quietly got off the plane. There were no racist taunts or any remarks directed at the men."

Hang on, no racist comments or taunts were directed at them? Didn't the kids say 'those two look like they're bombers?'

Heath Schofield, Jo's husband, added: "It was a return holiday flight, full of people in flip-flops and shorts. There were just two people in the whole crowd who looked like they didn't belong there."

Ooh, two men not conforming to the British code of looking like a t*t when you land back off holiday in wet Manchester wearing a t-shirt and flip-flops. Supposing these two were wearing traditional Asian garb, where do you think such garb is worn most? Perhaps somewhere a tad hotter than Malaga?

But don't worry, because Heath added: "While we were waiting, everyone agreed the men looked dodgy. Some passengers were very panicky and in tears. There was a lot of talking about terrorists."

So that's all right then. Just because a group of people decide they look dodgy, they should be taken off the plane? Is this not playground bullying on a grown-up scale?

It fell to Patrick Mercer, the Tory Homeland Security spokesman, to put some perspective into the situation: "This is a victory for terrorists. These people on the flight have been terrorised into behaving irrationally.

"For those unfortunate two men to be victimised because of the colour of their skin is just nonsense."

And it has to be said, if victimisation of people because of the colour of their skin is to become the norm, Jo Schofield should be worried....

Is it me or does she look just a tad orange? Yes, I think
you'll find she does. And as a college lecturer, I just worry
about what she's teaching. Thank goodness the two Asian
lads involved actually have a sense of humour and have
admitted they feel sorry for those who thought they were
terrorists. Personally, I just feel sorry for people who think
being orange is normal.