Active Resistance to Hijackers
The tragedy in America forces us to re-examine existing doctrines in dealing with
hijackers. Until September 11, the implied bargain between hijackers and aircrew was
that passenger and aircrew lives would be spared in return for compliance with the
hijackers' demands.
This is no longer the case.
Hijackers can be fought. Dozens of passengers and cabin crew can certainly physically overwhelm small numbers of hijackers unless they have smuggled automatic firearms past security and have covered their backs. Even with existing passenger inspection procedures, the small knives the hijackers did succeed in smuggling aboard could at worse only cost a very small number of fatalities against a concerted attack.
The safety card in every seatback and cabin briefings must include procedures to resist
hijackers. Without benefit of detailed analysis, I would suggest as a start instructing passengers to immediately pull up their seat cushion and pile on the hijackers. At the beginning the hijackers are very likely surrounded and easy to overcome. Afterwards when passengers are herded to one end, successful resistance is much more difficult.
Cockpit crew are not without resources, but first of all a stronger door seems urgently
called for. Violent maneuvering will cause casualties on anybody in back who is not
strapped in, mostly hijackers; but this and depressurization should be reserved for cases
where resistance in the cabin is unsuccessful.