<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1807000/1807216.stm" target="_blank">BBC News</a> suggests that the situation was rather different (and reflects rather less well on the crew). Apparently the passenger banged on the door, and one of the pilots opened it "thinking it was one of the crew". The passenger then forced his way in and started punching both pilots until one of them did the fire axe thing.. .What use is it busting a bloodvessel to put reinforced doors in a/c if the pilots are just going to open them to every random nutter who knocks? And on United of all airlines!. .On the other hand, CNN says the pilots didn't open the door to him - he forced his way in. Through a reinforced door. Clearly "reinforced" in United's world means something different from the conventional definition. This reflects better on the pilots but worse on the door.. . If he'd had, say, a broken bottle, we could be looking at 157 Dead In United Crash. Can you still buy duty free liquor in glass bottles and take it on in carryon bags? Sure you can.. .Also, note that the passenger quoted seems to have done nothing at all until the guy was inside the cockpit and (presumably) attacking the pilots. Hope no one out there is counting on pax to protect them from hijackers - because they won't.