I know there is a lot of emotion around this subject at the moment, but I think what most people are saying is that we must never - whatever the provocation - lose our sense of reason or perspective.
It is agreed that it is a pretty stupid idea to make flippant jokey remarks to airport and aircraft security: "What's in that violin case?", "A machine gun" or "Are you carrying anything for someone else?", "Yes, this guy called Mohammed gave me a bomb" are cases in point. This has always been the case before, and there is no reason why it should be any less the case now.
However, if as a passenger I see what I consider to be a laxity or omission in security, then I really don't see why I shouldn't be able to point it out. After all, it's my life that's at risk too, and if I see the cockpit door open during boarding, and I consider that to be a security risk, then why shouldn't I point it out to the cabin crew. "With the cockpit door open, if I was a terrorist, I could hijack the aircraft right now". That sounds to me to be a perfectly reasonable comment.
In other words: "I don't like what I'm seeing; it's inconsistent and making me nervous because I'm about to put my life in your hands and I need to know that you're making every effort to ensure my safety". To respond to such a concern is something that all airline staff owe their passeners at the very minimum.
As malanda said above, what should pax do in these circumstances? Just the other day, I asked an FA to do something about a fat flash git who couldn't stop showing how important he was by continuously using his mobile phone on board an A340 from the moment he sat down right the way up to the start of the runway. Am I supposed to stop doing that? Because if so, then I'm damn well going to stop flying.
As always, if we consider ourselves to be intelligent, reasonable professionals, we should be trying to see the big picture and act reasonable and sensibly, no matter what has gone before. Yes, everyone can be excused for being a bit emotional in these times, but that is not the same thing as saying that the emotional response is the right one.
HugMonster
I don't normally enter into slanging matches on PPRuNe, but your knee-jerk diatribe in your earler response is in fact what misses the point and makes you look like a pratt. Rustbucket made a perfectly reasonable comment, and your reaction was way OTT.
To all pilots who think that the current situation is a good reason to further consider passengers as mere inconveniences in the pursuit of your job, I say this: if our society in general (not just on airlines) is going to remain safe, it is going to rely on the vigilance of the masses, the general public, yes, even your passengers, to prevent further acts of terrorism. It is the masses keeping their eyes open for suspicious activity that are our best weapon, and no amount of electronics or security can replace that. The LAX-ORD flight recently proved this.
As pilots it is in your interests to start treating "SLF" like human beings instead of cattle. One day we might save your life!
And another thing...!
I don't think it is a joke, neither do I think it stupid or even criminal that some passengers, and some journalists, have decided to expose the flaws in airport security - even now - by demonstrating that knives and suchlike can still be smuggled aboard aircraft. As pilots, you should be grateful to these people for alerting authorities to the fact that they still have a way to go before they can hope to reassure passengers that it is once again safe to fly. In my opinion, they shouldn't have been arrested or locked up to save the blushes of the authorities, and they certainly don't deserve your scorn. It's not a joke. They're telling you something important. I think you should listen.
[Edited to add 'and another thing...' comments]
[ 09 October 2001: Message edited by: Covenant ]