Originally Posted by
Flyhighfirst
The problem with a “key” would be they would have to be very generic keys. One key fits the whole fleet type of thing. Otherwise you are going to be running into delayed and cancelled departures daily due to a lost key!
pre Sept.11th
I used to work for Lufthansa on their 747-400s and the keys were the same fleetwide. Initially they had 'Boeing' written on it but later on they were blank (same key though) probably to prevent folks making off with a nice souvenir. Stations had them as a back up. There was one in a little plastic pouch up high in the upper deck lavatory (the one just outside the cockpit door) and on the combis you would find another in a similar pouch in the compartment below the door 3L attendant seat. This same key allowed access to the mandeck cargo hold. The key would also open the crew rest is it was loaded.
Just sharing some trivia.
Anilv