If the F/O was so scared about the "thick accent" chap from the other side of the door and he really wanted to be sure that what he was being told was true, he should have just said to the aforementioned chap to "ask the captain what my name is!" :E That should clear it up!

This is just rubbish, talk about blowing things out of proportion. "Foreign accent" my arse... :ugh:

Obviously the F/O was concerned, since the captain had failed to return to the cockpit and somebody with a strange accent was asking for access to the cockpit, that perhaps somebody had a utility knife to the captain's jugular. That could well have elicited the F/O's name, rank, serial number, SSN, name of first-born and pretty much anything else needed.

Don't know what your arse has to do with it, nor has anybody claimed that the F/O was "so scared"--he seemed to be pretty cool in his R/Ts--and it seems to me his reaction was neither "rubbish" nor "out of proportion."

Any pilot that would let the cockpit door be opened without proper procedures is an idiot. The FO did everything by the book and did a good job. I am proud of him for using his ability to handle an unusual situation well and not breaking cockpit security. We can't let those A holes do another 9-11. Stick to procedure, no short cuts.

Strongly concur with 42 and 43. The FO did it right.

You've spotlighted an important point, of course. It seems that the most dangerous terrorists are 'regular' citizens who have been indoctrinated in terrorist 'schools' overseas -- do they call it 'radicalised'? So the biggest threat is probably not the fellow who speaks with an accent or struggles with the language, old bean ;)

And your average terrorist isn't likely to make some inane joke about a bomb so by handing over such 'offenders' to the Old Bill and banning them from flying for life all you do is to stop one of your customers from spending with you....not so smart.

To the gent commenting that the FA in the cockpit is not standard procedure, please note the items "USA" and "post-9/11". Adjust all expectations of normalcy accordingly.

To those who continue to suggest the captain should have alerted a flight attendant, please note the number of FAs abord an ERJ145.

To all others: You are the only pilot in the cockpit of an airliner. The captain has left for a bathroom break quite some time ago, and has not been heard from since. Suddenly, a passenger begins knocking on the secure cockpit door, shouting (with or without an accent) that the captain is "stuck" outside, and he wants you to open the door. You have no way of verifying this information save the password, which is UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES supposed to be given to a passenger. If your solution to the dillema is anything other than "declare an emergency and land", congratulations! You've just violated the basic tenets of American cockpit security. If you're lucky, you will be summarily sacked from your airline. If unlucky, you've just blundered your way into the next terrorist attack. Kudos.

Lovely story Jock.

We once had an old woman collapse against the inward opening door. We might need the fire brigade after landing. I radioed:

"Don't know quite how to word this without sounding flippant. We have an Old Lady locked in the lavatory"

"Roger, you're cleared to hold from Monday to Saturday".

Jack

The FO did the right thing.....
Why not 2 FAs on the type.......

US Federal Aviation Regulations:

Sec. 121.391 — Flight attendants.

(a) Each certificate holder shall provide at least the following flight attendants on each passenger-carrying airplane used:

(1) For airplanes having a maximum payload capacity of more than 7,500 pounds and having a seating capacity of more than 9 but less than 51 passengers—one flight attendant.
(2) For airplanes having a maximum payload capacity of 7,500 pounds or less and having a seating capacity of more than 19 but less than 51 passengers—one flight attendant.
(3) For airplanes having a seating capacity of more than 50 but less than 101 passengers—two flight attendants.
(4) For airplanes having a seating capacity of more than 100 passengers—two flight attendants plus one additional flight attendant for each unit (or part of a unit) of 50 passenger seats above a seating capacity of 100 passengers.