"I was also surprised to not see the captain or co pilot come back to check on the gear and tire."
Post 9/11, flight crew are feeling inhibited from going back into the cabin, mixing with the SLF, in case they are attacked.
This is probably due to the wrong message being perceived as a result of DaFT and UK Transec and other Western Gov rules rules where flight crew are of course instantly subject to attack by crazed SLF with boxcutters etc blah blah.......
Alan Quaeda 1 - Common sense nil.
