ATC 9/11
Sometimes written procedures can just represent an obstacle to the professionals, this was an example.
This is true especially in those parts of the world where a procedure is strictly followed even when common sense and experience would suggest different solutions. These procedures sometimes lead to disasters, especially when the event is completely unexpected and maximum flexibility is needed, like 9.11 was.
On the other side, when the AA Cabin Crew on 9.11 called the AA Emergency Line there was not procedure again for that type of call thus they wasted precious minutes wondering around on what to do, simply because there was no procedure for it and they were not trained to use their common sense and being flexible: it would be nice to remind all that we are clever individuals and sometimes the best solutions are not written anywhere except in our brains, and a written procedure for an unexpected event could just confuse us.
The worst scenario is to have somebody which does not know what to do simply because there is no procedure for it and does nothing about it.
ATC gave a lesson. AA did not.
Katrina: no comment.