For just about every aspect of your life, from your dog Fido to your kid's favorite cereal, there's a conspiracy theory out there behind it. Some are just plain crazy, but some have a ring of truth. The greatest thing about conspiracy theories is that they spread like fire and continue to twist and turn into new developed theories with even MORE conspiracies added on top. The travel industry is no different. In this post, we've compiled a few of our favorite theories. Do you believe them?
Pan AM Flight 103
This is a pretty famous one. On December 21, 1988, Pan AM Flight 103 was en route to take passengers from Frankfurt to Detroit, when it was the sudden victim of a fatal terrorist attack.
There are many theories that developed as to why Pan AM Flight 103 was bombed. Some believe that the CIA was responsible. It was believed that the CIA was allowing Syrian drug dealers to smuggle illegal drugs through Pan AM flights. According to the theory, the CIA would allow suitcases to go unchecked in exchange for information on Palestinian groups holding hostages in Syria.
On the day Flight 103 went down, the theory is that terrorists exchanged a suitcase full of drugs for a suitcase with a bomb in it. There has been too much inconclusive and variance in evidence and conflicts in reports to prove any of the conspiracy theories, however in 2003, Muammar Gaddafi accepted responsibility and paid reparations to the victims' families.
The Secret Bunker in the Denver International Airport
Ever heard of the Illuminati? Numerous celebrities and politicians have been accused of being a part of this "free thinker" society, but in most cases, these are probably completely false. A very well known Illuminati conspiracy theory involves the Denver International Airport. It is believed that there is a hidden bunker that houses headquarters for this secret society.
Why in the world would the Illuminati hole up at the Denver Airport? Theorists assert that the art that lines the DIA points to no other conclusion. It is a little strange, but we don't know if that means it's a secret headquarters. There are numerous murals with "alien" writing (actually Navajo words for various Colorado cities), soldiers in gas masks (a mural depicting the coming together of man-made destruction and the harmony of people), and various symbols of the Freemasons (actually just a local charity organization in Colorado).
One of the biggest reasons why people assert this claim may be the underground tunnels that run the length of the airport. Theorists claim that this is where the society makes camp, but it was actually constructed as an underground automated baggage system, that ended up failing in the end.
Big Oil Tried to Kill the Electric Car
A popular conspiracy theory is that electric and other specialty, "green" cars have been available for many years but that big oil companies bought the patents and locked them away from the consumer.
The real problems had more to do with consumer economics. Electric cars cost nearly $20,000 more than their gasoline-fueled counterparts, and the batteries took an unrealistic amount of time to charge. Regular consumers just didn't buy into the idea that spending a fortune (and more time) on an electric vehicle to only cut a small amount of pollution was a very financially savvy choice to make.
Federal Government Has Banned a 300-mpg Car
On a similar note, there's a conspiracy out there that claims that Volkswagen has developed a 300 mpg car, but the federal government worked with the Oil Industry to ban its sale in the US because it is "too fuel-efficient," and would therefore compromise the big bucks business of said oil companies.
Again, this myth has been debunked. Volkswagen did indeed create a car that could get roughly 260 mpgs on the battery and about 120 mpgs on diesel. Theorists claim that this car has not been allowed on American soil, but the staff of Jalopnik just drove one around Manhattan at the end of 2013.The real reason why this car is not being sold in America is because it does not fit the regulations for most highways and public roads.
Also, Volkswagen is only producing 200 units. Why? Technology like this isn't cheap to produce in mass quantities. The initial 200 units will be sold to European customers. This vehicle is barely production ready, as it's still in its concept phase. But there may be hope for the future if it catches on overseas!
The GM Streetcar Conspiracy
This infamous theory states that GM and other companies bought and disabled electric train and streetcar systems throughout the U.S. in order to convert them into bus operations and make all of the money. Yea, you probably know all about this from Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
GM and various other companies did in fact purchase electric train and streetcar systems in cities througout the United States. But they did not do this in an attempt to monopolize the industry. Critics claim that these systems were purchased in an effort to improve economic situations caused by the streetcar system. Bus stations were far less expensive to build, because they required no railways, and it would be much easier to extend public transit into the ever-expanding suburbs. Plus, by about this time in history, people much preferred traveling via their private vehicles anyway, instead of crowding into streetcar stations.
What do YOU believe? Is there more to these theories or are they actually just bologna? Let us know in the comments section below!
