I just came back from reading an interesting articles, which gave 3 main ideas:
1) Pilots should be armed with a pistol.
Right, I can live with that. As the articles said, if the captain is capable of handling a multi-million dollar jet, he should be able to handle a gun. Of course, that is after necessary training and psychologic tests.
2) Early seat-booking should be removed.
Ok, this one so it would be impossible for potential terroists to ensure strategic positions. Now, I’m not so happy. For instance, people with disabilities prefer to book in advance so they can get a seat they’re comfortable with. And I’d prefer if I was able to reserve a window seat, especially on long flight (and especially if it’s a day flight! On night flights, I just sleep 🙂 ). And how about charter flights? Up until now I’ve had to select a preferred seat when I made my reservation with the charter company. Will this go away too? If it does, it will only add more work.
3) No handluggage will be allowed into the cabin.
Are they joking? If they impose such a rule, they’ll start losing passengers for sure! I mean, most people take handlggage with them with books, discman and other entertainment (I know that I do) and I’m sure that bussinesmen have their cases with them, perhaps to do a bit of work.
The airliners are worrying that they’re losing passengers. Now, if they impose the first 2 rules, I think that people will perhaps show a bit of reluctance, but if the third one is imposed I’m sure that the passengers will stay away.
On the other side, as time goes by, will some of these suggestions fade away? I hope so!
By: james - 30th September 2001 at 23:48
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
The Airline business and flying in generall is so fantastic, It’s a shame that it is constantly stilted by terrorism. Commercial jets have always been a top target.
I think the air marshall idea is probably more a deterent and confidence renewall plan. But basically, up in the air is too late. The security must happen on the ground. Come on, with todays technology, we must be able to deal with this. Surely there is a fool proof method which could be adopted within airports to stop any untoward items from getting anywhere near a plane. We’re not talking brain science here, are we?.
I don’t think you can over react regarding safety. Improved safety is always good, and I hope it goes on improving. What is a shame is hysteria caused by such events. The 1000’s of job losses within the industry is a victim of this. The suffering of the airlines is drastic, and it does seem to have been blown out of proportion. B.A’s 7000 job cuts is excessive. I believe the main culprit of this hysteria is the press. I haven’t brought a paper for the last few weeks because I dont agree with buying somthing that has the intention of inducing panic.
By: KabirT - 29th September 2001 at 17:19
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
LAST EDITED ON 29-09-01 AT 05:20Â PM (GMT)[p]Well i think Sky Marshals are there just to make people feel safe. I agree that if theres one sky marshal per flight…and 6 hijackers who are of course on a course of death…theres little the sky marshal would be able to do.
By: dan330 - 28th September 2001 at 18:29
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
I think some of the measures announced are not going to work.
Give Pilots a gun – NO WAY!
You are giving a gun to an untrained person and effectively getting a weapon on board the aircraft for the hijackers.
6 Hijackers on the aircraft who are already willing to die are going to be able to get it from a guy in the cockpit.
I’m not totally convinced about this sky marshall idea either, even though he will be trained, its still one guy against a few of them and again, your putting a weapon onboard the aircraft.
I think that we should concentrate on stopping weapons getting on aircraft. Before the hijackings security on US domestic flights wasn’t very tough at all, which is probably why this was able to happen. I just think we should step up security and make sure weapons can not be smuggled on to aircraft.
By: KabirT - 28th September 2001 at 13:15
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
Agreed that locking the cockpit doors wont help much…..i think a good check by experts before boarding and being of sky marshals on each flight is more than enough. This thing is getting too hyped by the media.
By: Bhoy - 27th September 2001 at 21:07
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
exactly. what’s the point in strengthening cockpit doors? If nothing else, it means that would be hijackers kill all the passengers and cabin crew, and the flight crew land the plane.
By: Albert - 27th September 2001 at 21:03
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
I can understand the current paranoia about hand luggage. But any terrorist who is going to hijack a plane can quite easily hide some kind of weapon on his pearson which only a very good body search by an expert could find. If they were really stuck for something to use all they have to do is have a bottle of wine which alot of airlines supply you with free of charge with you meal and they have in there hands a perfectly good weapon to threaten people with.
Regarding pilots being armed I put this to you. (Which I herd someone say on the radio today)
You are a pilot (with a gun) and during the flight the intercom from the cabin section go off. You answer it and a member of your cabin crew says to you that someone is holding something to their throat and is going to kill them unless you open the cockpit door and throw out all the guns.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
HAND OVER YOU GUNS OR LET ONE OF YOU CREW BE KILLED?
By: Saab 2000 - 27th September 2001 at 17:19
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
I am not sure if this is true but, two arabic men onboard a LH 747-400 were searched and were found to have box cutters with them,the aircraft was already taxing to the runway but passerngers demanded that the men be searched.There are so many rumours going around how many of them can be true?
Regards Saab 2000
By: Bhoy - 27th September 2001 at 00:19
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
My problem about banning hand luggage is that my hold luggage invariably gets lost.
In fact, last time I made two connections I checked 2 bags in at BSL, and they managed to lose 1 of them at the first transfer point (ZRH), and the other at the second (LHR). The first was forwarded to London, where it was promptly lost again.
I had my bags back 2 days later, but say you have medicine or important paperwork, and you had to put it in the hold rather than carry it on. You couldn’t keep a meeting on hold for two days, or not take medicine for that long. Especially if you’ve travelled abroad and can’t replace the medicine.
And anyway, does that mean duty free shops will be abolished? Again, I always end up with at least 1 plastic bag from the Duty free when I’m travelling internationally. How can THAT be carried on, and a briefcase not?
It dosen’t make sense.
By: EKRK - 26th September 2001 at 21:18
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
The problem, I think, with the US airport security seemed to be, and please correct me if I’m wrong, that all gate personel washired & paid by the airliners, and not the local authorities/airport.
This could lead to doubts about the quality of their training etc., especially considering that their European colleagues get twice as much in pay + they’re hired by the local authoroties.
By: keltic - 26th September 2001 at 19:16
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
I agree with “no cabin luggage” few people know how dangerous could it be evacuating a plane when dozens of passengers get their luggage first and block emergency exits. turbulences which could open the racks and bring items down are dangerous for passengersis. I don´t care about early booking, but I don´t imagine armed pilots on board. I wouldn´t like it at all. All measures addressed to stop the event of a terrorist attack is wellcomed. I don´t mind how expensive this would be. I just want safety at all costs.
By: Matilainen - 26th September 2001 at 17:26
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
Yea, interesting indeed. Again we see the name of bin Laden.
What comes to these safety measures, I think, as time goes by, we will see more rational measures to increace airline safety. Other than a gun in cockpit…
By: KabirT - 26th September 2001 at 17:05
RE: Overreaction regarding safety measures?
Interesting…carrying a pistol is quite agreeable. I agree that removing early seat booking wont be a much effective soultion. People like to book there seats in advance…but if this rule is imposed..it cant be helped. One thing that took my interest is about not carrying hand baggage. Even if all airlines start doing this…again it cant be helped. I dont think there will be a reduction in passenger numbers as they cannot avoid flying. I mean they wont start going to London by ship cause you cant carry your hand bagage on board. here is something interesting i found…….
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September 26, 2001 at 11:39 am