Back to cargo Boys eminently sensible remarks. There are so many scenarios that if you want to be paranoid, don't leave home, and even then an out of control bus will probably demolish it and kill you.
What G-ALAN has inadvertently highlit, is that the USA seems to be driven by CYA than combatting a realistic threat.
What if a real terrorist had gotten through while TSA and the police were busy focusing their attention on a Pilot (for christs sake !!!)
Carltonbrowne, I imagine the 7 years is for the tosser who actually intends harm, by making a malicious false bomb threat.
For my money garp has hit on the only logical motive for this pantomime performance, strange about the pilot being French, isn't it ?
robmac