I say low-pressure 22s for the flight deck, like the security guys on El Al have. Give tasers to the hosties. Some have suggested pepper spray but given the ventillation of the average A/C that would be like firing a shotgun in a crowded room.
I don't like the new measures one bit. They will cause tremendous inconvenience, cost the airlines a fortune and further erode our freedom. I've even heard commentators suggest that we force everyone to carry a national ID, not unlike the internal passports of the old Soviet Union, and register every change of address with Big Brother. If that happens, the terrorists have won. The only way to stop this madness is to assure every wannabe martyr that not only will he die but his mission will fail. The only way to do that is to have an armed presence on every aircraft and the most economical way to achieve that is by arming the crew. Under Canadian law, the PIC is a peace officer- why are we the only unarmed peace officers in the country?
One development that has already taken place will do more than any of the new security measures to make flying safer. Until Tuesday, conventional wisdom was that those aboard a hijacked plane were hostages whose best chance of survival would be to co-operate. Now the stakes are far higher and more pax are inclined to fight back, as happened in Pennsylvania. I truly pity the next yob who starts an air rage incident- he'll probably be beaten to death by his fellow pax.