Viking737, once again I reiterate, this is not about in-flight flight deck visits. Whilst many of us do miss the opportunity to interact with our passengers, especially those with an interest in what it is like up front, we realise that the days of allowing some kids a visit whilst in flight are over. What we are objecting to is the blanket ban on using the jump seat for the whole flight for someone we can personally vouch for and is no security risk. You know very well that watching a video does not convey the actual experiece for those who have never jump seated before.
We already decided to appease the US authorities by not allowing jump seaters to and from the USA. None of these jump seat riders have ever been a security problem here in the UK and Europe but now we have to kowtow to the demands of the understandably more twitchy US dictats. Your sense of unease at the sight of kids coming and going from the flight deck whilst travelling on a European carrier is understandable considering your own countries total ban for many years already, but to suggest that carrying someone personally known to the pilot, especially a family member or friend on the jump seat is a major security risk is ridiculous and has no precedent over here.
It appears to me that the terrorists have achieved their aims and are probably laughing at us now. Everyone running scared and paranoid. Life is full of risks and I am still more likely to be killed on the drive to and from the airport than to suffer at the hands of a hijacker, suicidal or not. Yes, we need security but it is my belief that far too much is being concentrated on doing something about a terrorist who is already on board rather than preventing them from getting past check-in in the first place. What is being suggested by the new rule, to me and many others, is that it is somehow a stopgap that will go a very long way to preventing another 9/11. Typical of the thinking of people who really don't have very much imagination but like to be seen to be doing something, no matter how cosmetic!