Guys,
I think a few of you are missing the point here!
The test from what I saw last night on BBC2's 'How Safe Are Our Skies' was to replecate the attempted bomb attack by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on Christmas Day 2009, and what would have happened should he have been succesful.
The attack was designed by the terrorists to detonate at low altitude, approx 10,000'. Therfore the Px diff would have been minimal - hence the test being conducted on an un-pressurised airframe. Not ideal, what with pressure waves confined to a sealed slightly pressurised hull would be more damaging than a hull open to atmosphere, nethertheless, the test served a purpose.
The test was also conducted in a stripped back airframe, where all internal panels/Insulation/Sound prrofing etc had been stripped away, and the skin still contained the blast.
I don't think you can rubbish this test, not ideal, but did show (even in an aging hull) that the quantities of explosives this idiot used were probably not enough to down the aircraft. Joe public I'm sure would take a lot from this test in reassuring just how well made most airfcraft are.
You can watch the program here on BBC iplayer:
BBC iPlayer - How Safe Are Our Skies? Detroit Flight 253
Good job by the pax and crew.