Folks.
I despair, I really do. Page upon page of obviously intelligent, skilled professional aviators arguing for primacy of authority to allow, what...... friends, family, celebrities, uncle Tom Cobley and all to access the control centre of what could be a flying bomb?
The very thought is so wrong on so many levels I don't know where to begin. I'm not a pilot (but would be), however security and CT I do know a fair bit about.
The world changed chaps. When your cylindrical, aluminium cigar was weaponised it became a game changer. The former things passed away. Yes, visits to your 'office' were wonderful, and my inner child remembers those visits and the desire they provoked (Monarch Air in the 70's anyone?) but......
We all have to focus now on denial of opportunity. The bad man is generally not the brightest; but is persistent. As our friends across the water once said, " We only need to get lucky once, you need to be lucky all the time."
Today's reality means that we all need to appreciate your skills from behind closed doors. Sad but true, and those of us that were inspired by you, still will be.
But make no mistake, open that door to a friend and, sooner or later, a nightmare will walk through it.
And yes, toilets adjacent to the flight deck access, pilots exiting for comfort breaks, cabin crew delivering meals or chat or gossip or info to the cockpit; all security risks which urgently need attention. But two wrongs don't make a right: ergo, lock your workspace up tight, keep us all safe and accept the isolation as part of the outstandingly professional job that you all do.
It's the only way.