Please quote for us which regulation said, "Thou shalt do a head count".
Never mind. There wasn't one. Head counts were simply a means to ensure compliance with regulations for things such as weight and balance and security requirements. Nowhere did those regs say that the head count was a mandatory step for compliance. The only requirement was, and still is, that the operator establish a suitable means of compliance. If the operator proposes a reasonable alternative to head counts as a means of complying, how exactly would a regulator say it wasn't acceptable? I have personally witnessed alternative processes at other carriers that are quite simple and yet highly effective. It isn't rocket science.
So unless someone can quote specific examples where the new process has broken down and threatened safety, why don't we dispense with this red herring and move on.
Last edited by J.O.; 5th Sep 2013 at 23:45.