Flightdeck visits
I echo what was said earlier in this thread. We have become terrified of anything that does not conform to the norms now set by those we 'elect' to (supposedly) look after our interests politically.
I haven't even bothered to ask for a visit 'up front' since 9/11. Before that I was a regular visitor. I always took my PPL with me and sent it up front with one of the cabin attendants when I made my request.
I sat in the jump seat for a BA Tristar arrival at Dhahran Saudi Arabia. I did the same on Cathay Pacific for an arrival at Hong Kong Kai Tak (sadly not the checker board approach). The late Captain Harry Gee let me sit right seat in a Brymon Twotter from LHR to Newquay via Plymouth. I've seen the Alps on a crystal clear moonlit winters night and my first visit to the Maldives was up front on an Air Lanka 737 with a superb low level trip aound the islands close to Male before landing. I got the jump seat as an 'extra' passenger on the way back to Colombo too.
In every case I was made most welcome by the crew.
Now? I don't know. I don't want to ask in case I embarrass the Captain because company SOP's now deny him/her the opportunity to welcome visitors. I know it does still happen. A member of the Thai Flying Club was a recent visitor on a Thai Inter 777 flight from Shanghai to Bangkok and stayed for the landing at Suvarnabhumi. Lucky chap.
What with this and the insanity of airport security restrictions it's about time we collectively told Dubya to stuff his War on Terror where the sun don't shine and got back to normal.