Yes well said Agaricus. Immediately after 9/11 I knew flight deck visits would stop but I hoped that the knee-jerk reaction would fade and they would become possible again. Sadly now with the CAA directive that possibility looks even further away.
I have had some fantastic experiences on the flight deck thanks to pilots who are genuinely interested in providing the opportunity to wannabes and those just curious to see how it all works. I remember them all very well........taking off from LHR on a clear night with the spectacular sight of the runway lights, landing on the 28 ILS at London City in rain, and even being allowed to sit in the LHS at FL350 somewhere over northern Spain. As someone who has had to shelve flying ambitions for the moment they were an unforgettable glimpse of what it is really like at the sharp end.
All the points have already been made, the CAA directive is completely unecessary but in the interests of the industry I have to say I can see why it has been made, because although it is quite true that they will do nothing to prevent hijacks, the CAA will say that they 'did all they could', and that would be their defence in any court action that could arise in the litigeous, compensation culture age. I have read pilots here who have argued that visitors should not be allowed up front - but I find the vast majority do not concur. At any rate there is a strong argument that goes allowing visits actually makes flying safer - it breaks the monotony for the pilots and makes them more alert and aware of what is going on around them, not to mention the benefits of having another set of (well informed) eyes on the flight deck.
Flight deck visits have been banned for years in America, and that did sod all to prevent 9/11. As said above, sadly, this is the world we live in.
Crossunder, can I ask the nationality of your airline? Does anyone know which countries do still allow flight deck visits?
I agree about the press as well. I was disgusted to read a front page story about a journalist who was allowed on tho the flight deck of a Ryanair flight - a so called 'serious breach' of security by pilots who had been persuaded by deception to allow who they thought was an interested pax up front. Turned out to be some blood-sucking journo trying to impress his editor with a big (non) story. Prick.