Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, September 10, 1994                   TAG: 9409120059
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER NOTE: below
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

AT ROANOKE AIRPORT, PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS TURNING TO FLIGHT 427

"I have a standing goodbye with my family - they know, if I go down, that I love them and was thinking about them."

Orlikoff, a Chicago native who travels about 400,000 miles each year as a health care consultant, was thinking about his family - and the families of the victims of USAir flight 427 - Friday at the Roanoke Regional Airport.

Fliers' reactions to Thursday's accident were as varied as their final destinations.

For Orlikoff, this accident was the final reason not to use USAir when at all possible.

"This is, what, the fifth accident in the five years? You reach a point where ... you start to wonder."

Bob Wampler, USAir passenger service supervisor for Roanoke airport, said he did not see an increase in ticket cancellations.

"People are resilient. We've heard very little comment from our customers."

But Cathy Ford, an airport travel agent with Martin Travel, said a Delta employee told her that several morning travelers said they were choosing Delta instead of USAir.

"People are wary now that this happened. ... But some people have no choice, since USAir's are the only jets that fly out of here - unless you want to drive to Greensboro."

Guy Acciai of Blacksburg said that, after years of flying while on business, he has faith in the airlines.

"I'm more likely to get in a car crash on [Interstate] 81 than crashing in a plane. And, hey, it's better than a bus." Acciai and his wife, Lisa, were flying Friday on USAir to a wedding in New York.

Lisa Acciai said she was a little nervous but tried to stay optimistic. "I figure this is probably the best day to fly since everyone will be especially careful and on their best behavior."

Roanoke College sophomore Alex Parker said she would have driven to New York if it was possible. "I think it's much safer to drive. You have control of the thing and you don't have to fall as far."

Parker and her boyfriend, Roanoke College junior Jerry Balaker, also were flying on USAir to a wedding in New York.

While flying the day after an airplane crash didn't bother Balaker, Parker said her nervous jitters got worse when she heard about the accident.

"It didn't keep me from going today. I figure, if it's my fate, it's my fate."

Keywords:
FATALITY