Cheeky 403

With recent world events, I’m getting a bit apprehensive about travel home in four days. Not so much because I think someone might get a bottle of shampoo through security and put it in my eye (man, that stings!). What I’m worried about are those damn security checks and the delays they may bring.

I understand, for my safety and all that… but my travel schedule is a well oiled machine. I’ve only just over two hours between flights in New York, and I’m a bit nervous that delays might be on hand for me and my on The Security Watch List ways.

For sake of planning my BEIJING to DALIAN leg, I’ve been trying to access the Air China site to check on my arrival time at PEK. This is the site’s rather poignant response:

Error 403–Forbidden

From RFC 2068 Hypertext Transfer Protocol — HTTP/1.1:

10.4.4 403 Forbidden

The server understood the request, but is refusing to fulfill it. Authorization will not help and the request SHOULD NOT be repeated. If the request method was not HEAD and the server wishes to make public why the request has not been fulfilled, it SHOULD describe the reason for the refusal in the entity. This status code is commonly used when the server does not wish to reveal exactly why the request has been refused, or when no other response is applicable.

The bit I love is that first line: “The server UNDERSTOOD the request, but is REFUSING to fulfill it.” I’ve had a few waiters (and ex’s) that’ve used that line on me.

So…. as you might have guessed, I’ve no idea when I’m landing, and the Air China site is not eager to tell me, despite assuring that it understands me.

3 Responses

  1. Ya, man. Been watching the news lately and it seems pretty nuts.

    No carry-ons allowed period, in Britain.

    But if you’re a clear-plastic-bag manufacturer, you might be pretty happy right now.

    That’s a pretty F-ed up response from Air China. But I think I’ve been desensitized to strange and F-ed up stuff over here…

  2. I saw that message. Sure breeds confidence, don’t it. Nothing like bad timing. I always seem to leave the US right when things get crazy.

  3. Pingback: Eyes East » Blog Archive » Bad Timing, for the second time

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