Lufthansa Cockpit doors open for flight!

[Mooney]

MOR- if you think I should grow up- perhaps you should adopt a more professional attitude in your replies.

I realise that under US FAA rules- the doors on the hijacked a/c where locked.

However- mr bloggs in the street see's aviation safety and confidence with Pilots behind locked doors. End of Story. My main point was- pictures like this and others on the web site I came across surprised me.

I am very sad that we dont allow flight deck visits any more- it's where i had most of my inspiration. I enjoyed welcoming any one into the flight deck who wished to see it. Its a pity we can no longer take our family and friends along.

But i'm sorry- times have changed (BA Kenya and Sept 11th). The public want us tucked away- for them its security. For us- it's a smoke screen not terrorist proof. Since they the public pay me to fly i'll lock the door.

Even if this picture is false- the case continues.


A reminder of a post a few weeks back from the Telegraph :

Cockpit doors 'left open' despite post-September 11 regulations
By Rosemary Behan

There is growing concern that British and foreign airlines are not sufficiently enforcing an international requirement to lock cockpit doors during flights.

The regulation was brought in after the terrorists gained access to cockpits and took control of four aircraft over the United States.

The Daily Telegraph has received dozens of letters from readers concerned that cockpit doors are being left open.

Captain I T Whale, from Frinton-On-Sea, Essex, claimed that, on a Ryanair flight from Stansted to Glasgow Prestwick in early July, the cockpit door "stood open for long periods of time". Capt Whale added: "Even when it was shut, the cabin staff seemed to be able to pass in and out at will with no locks, combination pads, or prior telephone admission required."

Later in July, Capt Whale flew from Stansted to Rome Ciampino airport with Go, where he witnessed similar procedures. "We also commented on passengers being able to use the forward toilet with the flight deck open. There was no apparent reinforcement of the forward bulkhead or flight deck doors on either aircraft, so far as one could tell."

A spokesman for Go insisted the airline "adheres to the strictest on-board security procedures [including locking cockpit doors]. Along with other airlines we are working with the Civil Aviation Authority, the Department of Transport and manufacturers to complete a programme of fitting reinforced cockpit doors. The safety and security of passengers is Go's highest priority."

Nigel Gates, from Rickmansworth, Herts, a trained pilot and an expert on air traffic management, air traffic control and aviation engineering, who has flown regularly since last year's terrorist attacks, said he had been impressed with the increased security measures shown on American Airlines and British Airways.

He was less impressed on a Ryanair flight in June, from Stansted to Graz, in Austria. Mr Gates claimed: "Without giving any form of signal the cabin crew were entering and leaving the flight deck, which seemed not to be locked during the flight. I wrote to Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of [the Dublin-based] Ryanair, who assured me that the flight doors on Ryanair aircraft were kept locked and were only opened in response to a signal from the flight crew. However, it is interesting to note in last week's Daily Telegraph that another Ryanair passenger has also observed what I noticed three months ago."

A spokesman for Ryanair said: "Ryanair policy is to lock the cockpit door at all times and it is only opened on pre-agreed signals between cockpit and cabin crew. Ryanair operates the most stringent security measures with regard to passenger photographic identification, which is a prerequisite for check-in on all Ryanair international and domestic flights.

"We welcome such feedback from passengers and will be addressing their experience with the relevant crews in our continuing policy of maximising the safety and security on all Ryanair flights."

Don Moffat, who returned to Britain from Toronto with MyTravel in July, said the flight deck door was left open throughout the flight. A spokesman for MyTravel said: "The procedures used by MyTravel Airways for securing the flight deck door comply fully with present Civil Aviation Authority and US Federal Aviation Authority Administration guidelines. The door is locked at all times during the operation apart from when access is required by the cabin crew for a particular reason, or the flight deck crew need to leave the flight deck for a short time. In these cases specific security measures are taken. At no time is the flight deck door left opened or unlocked."

Readers have also expressed concerns about a number of foreign airlines.

The CAA said it would take the matter up with the British airlines and "would remind them of the policy to keep cockpit doors locked at all times during flights".

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said the Government had no powers to force foreign-registered aircraft to lock their cockpit doors during flights to and from Britain. "However, if we became aware of foreign airlines not complying with this requirement we would pursue the matter with the state concerned," he added.