Literally. The man has a destructive effect on the local economy because they shut EVERYTHING down.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Europe's No. 2 airline, may seek redress for cancellations and delays from German authorities who temporarily brought the Frankfurt area to a standstill yesterday for a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush, damaging business for local companies.
Lufthansa had to cancel 92 flights, affecting 5,730 passengers, as a consequence of air traffic restrictions, said spokesman Thomas Jachnow in a telephone interview. Delays to another 330 flights totaled around 300 hours. Jachnow said losses went ``well into the millions,'' though he declined to elaborate.
Bush's eight-hour trip to Mainz, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Frankfurt, for talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, led the authorities to halt river traffic on the Rhine, Europe's busiest waterway, suspend takeoffs and landings at Frankfurt airport, Europe's second biggest, and close four motorways for periods of up to four hours. Much of Mainz city center was cordoned off, damaging business in local stores.
``Sales were awful,'' said Hans Keller, owner of a pharmacy about 100 yards away from the restricted area. ``Bush's visit has caused economic damage to all businesses here in Mainz and nobody is going to compensate us.''
The bad news is that he's coming back to the US. I hope he stays in Texas or some other red state.
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