In this instance it was a child,if it was a large chap going in to have a look then something needs to be said.
I agree with you that it is a team affair running an aircraft but the captain is the captain and that is the end of it.
If I was the man in charge and you said no to somebody then fair enough and I would respect your descision as you are the people dealing with the pax all the time.
I however fully understand what you mean about "green" f/o's and my first post was didn't really appear how I wanted!
My view was more of a flying related one i.e f/o can call to stop take off or take control if he thinks the captain is about to do something dangerous,many accidents have been caused because the f/o was too scared to intervene,hence I can understand your fears of relying in them!
Some of these SOP's are ridiculous though and we would not have them if it wasn't for the mindless few,I would be interested to know what your thoughts were on flight deck visits pre 9/11 etc,after all planes still got hijacked back then,if its going to happen it will methinks.
As for your last point about security I fully agree,the problem is that the pilots or your cabin crew colleagues cannot stop things being smuggled on without checking everybodys bags,hence why terminal security should be improved. I fly from a regional airport where even when flying GA you have to go through security all bags through x ray then a search if you set offf the alarm.Even then you cannot get close to the airliners yet pax can wander around them with no real direction when they come from the terminal? But then there is no fence around half of the airport,all a bit of a joke really.
By the way I think cabin crew are ace and deserve more credit for keeping aircraft in the sky than they get.
