I must say that my Company has a jumpseat authorisation policy (at present), and it has been enjoyed many times by many, many company employees and partners.... AND it has been a boon to those of us who operate long-haul in keeping marriages and relationships together.
Lets get something straight.... 11th Spetember and the atrocious acts perpetrated were NOTHING... I say again NOTHING to do with the airlines involved OR the Flight Deck/Cabin Crew members on those flights OR jumpseat occupancy !!!!!.......PERIOD.
It was the result of exceedingly lax security at the airports where these animals (being PC here)... boarded !!!!!....PERIOD..
This is a knee jerk reaction as the FAA has to be seen to be doing "something" to calm the great American public's fears.
Tell me what locking the flight deck doors does ???.... If I recall the actual cockpit voice tape of Capt. Al Haynes comments correctly. As he struggled to control his DC10 on final approach to Souix City he said "Unlock that f**k*ng door..!!!".
I presume in order that his crew could professionally carry out their duties and maintain the extraordinarily high standard of CRM that resulted in the (reasonably) succesful outcome of that particular incident.
Now we have a bunch of FAA beauracrats and suits telling us to ignore 20 years of facts relating to CRM and the lessons learned therein...... AND dictating poicy across National Borders..... (I wonder what the outcry from ther US would be like if the EU unilaterally acted in such a manner
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There need to be unequivocal recognition that the only way to stop acts of terrorism and air piracy is to PREVENT the potential perpetrators from getting ON the aircraft in the first place.
AND I personally don't care what it takes... compulsorary I.D.'s banning of nationals from country's assessed as "high risk"...etc..etc...
Let's get real people....!!!!I
Instead of arguing amongst ourselves.... Start putting pressure on ALPA, BALPA Company management, Regulatory Authorities etc..etc.... TO improve airport security and intelligence data so that these people NEVER get near an aircraft......PERIOD.