Arming the door would not have helped. All modern aircraft disarm their slides when the door is opened from the outside.
But the real problem is not that the guy got onto the tarmac, it’s the fact he was allowed to remain in the terminal in the first place. This is because security at airports is a farce. It follows rules made by clowns to in attempt to appease an ignorant traveling who really don’t think about anything other than themselves.
The reality is that it is possible to get access to the apron virtually anywhere. Lockable doors, special codes, ID cards are little more than window dressing and a total waste of the travelling public’s money. Anyone who is determined enough can get airside, so why bother making in inconvenient for those who need access? And when these things do happen, they are not for baggage handlers to sort out nor the cabin crew on another flight. This guy was never going to get anywhere anyway. But trying to prevent him from doing so could easily get you hurt and/or damage aircraft doors. Play cool, try not to annoy idiots like these and wait a few minutes for the police. They are paid to get really heavy with people who are in the wrong place and have the equipment, training and authority to do so. Don’t get me wrong, I would happily knock his teeth down his throat if I need to, but playing is smart is generally a better option.
And we should also remember that the presence of security staff does not mean security, just additional costs to pass onto the travelling public. In the first place, they are not the highest paid employees therefore you will not get the most able. And considering that they are probably paid minimum wage, would take a beating for that? So why should you expect them to do so.
To expand the security thought process, consider this; UK prison security is considered to be some of toughest out there. But our prisons leak like sieves. Yet repeatedly mobile phones, SIM cards, drugs, weapons and firearms are found in epidemic proportions in British prisons. How on earth do they get there? First of all, prisoners do not care for rules or regulations. That is why they they are locked up. Yet exactly the same methodology but in a watered down version is used to ensure our safety at airports. Now, as far as I know, those with criminal intent will not follow the rules nor will they bother about the systems that exist to prevent them from carrying out their intent. They’ll circumvent everything placed in their path in their pursuit to do us harm. Fix prison security, learn from that and then apply those lessons to airports. Until then, just hope it’s not going to be a bad day for you.
PM