Security
I would like to comment on this issue.
First, all aircrew must have security "airside" passes to enter "security" areas on the airport. In order to obtain these passes, you are fingerprinted (all 10 fingers), and your photos are taken (full face and profile). Then they do checks not only of the applicant but also on the spouse, parents and in-laws. Police checks are done as well. Only after all these checks are acceptable is the pass issued to the aircrew member. After all that, flight crew are still put through the wringer at airports. Why bother to do all that checking if the crew members are to be put through a thorough check at the airport before each flight? Lets do away with the security passes since they don't mean anything anyway. On the other hand, if these passes do mean that the holder has been checked and cleared and is not a threat to security, then get rid of the airport checks. They can't have their cake and eat it.
Secondly, in every cockpit is a hatchet with a 5 inch blade and a pick also about 5 inches long which is part of the emergency equipment for evacuation, yet they worry about a small pocket knife carried be a crew member. How stupid.
Some say that there is nothing that can be done to stop the stupidity. I say there is. If we could get ALL the pilots to boycott each airport for 3 days in protest of this nonsense, the loss of revenue to the people running these airports would be staggering. They would soon fix the problem. The real task is getting all the pilots to agree to this.
In addition, where would all the people who make a living at airports be if it wasn't for the men and women who risk their lives every day to fly 'planes in and out of these places. It's time to put the horse before the cart. Boycott, boycott, boycott.