This is a way for there to be a private lavatory for pilots and crew. Also a way in some planes for the FAs to cage themselves in the galley so they can waste time and not serve passengers.
Fair go, you can’t expect them to actually provide customer service in addition to acting as hyper-vigilant safety and security Stasi.
It's sort of weird to say that maybe reinforced flight deck doors aren't helpful because nobody has broken into a flight deck. This is like the old doctor joke: "Did you take all your medicine?" "Well, no, after a few days I felt better so I stopped."
Arguably the reinforced doors allowed those pilot-suicide tragedies. But it's impossible to know how many hijackings would have happened without them. Maybe none; maybe many.
wow, blocking the emergency exit for non pilot scum is a great idea
While I admit that I'm not particularly versed in the cost of manufacturing an airplane, from what was demonstrated I don't see how it would $35k!
“ Unlike other airlines, Southwest is immediately starting to use these new flight deck barriers, ”
Does this mean other airlines are taking delivery of planes with two sets of doors, but not using them?
So all of the world is going to have to suffer this crap just cos the US decision makers are morons?
Thats literally blocking an emergency exit, it allows the cabin crew to physically lock themselves off to prevent passengers from interrupting their chat time/going to ask for drinks/accessing the front toilet.. thats obscene.
If you can't figure out the (obvious) answer to both of those questions, then calling anyone else "morons" is a bit ironic.
They're not going to be used during takeoff nor landing, and likely will be stowed at any time the cockpit door is not opening in flight.
Let’s also ask how many attempts there have been to get into the cockpit?
Can't wait for some crazy person to come lock themselves up there.
United had secondary barriers on their 747s in form of a gate covering the full height of the cabin: about ten metal strings anchored in the wall on one side and a post on the other end that got affixed to the wall on the other side.
That was ~15 years ago already.
It's a common American tendency to respond to singular events with a broad-stroke approach, in the absence of a trend. Except for kids getting shot (the now-leading cause of death for minors in the US). Then we just offer thoughts and prayers but shucks, just can't come up with any ideas for a solution.
The solution is armed security - retired cops, military, etc. Lemme guess: “wait, no, anything but that!”
This was THE problem on 9/11.
And we haven't learned the single biggest lesson from 9/11.
Before 9/11 hijackers go to Cuba, demand money, seek asylum, release some crazy prisoners or they'll kill hostage or bomb the plane.
After 9/11 planes are weaponized.
You don't prepare for threats you saw yesterday.
This mindset would never stop the next 9/11 scale terrorism.
You need to prepare for tomorrow threats never seen before.
Stuff like the Israeli pager bombs.
It seems unnecessary paranoia to add another layer. Performative, like the ongoing liquid rules.
The risk of a suicidal cockpit crew or a medical emergency are far higher than "crazy person is able to crash through the reinforced door during the few moments it's open in-flight". I guess the slatted barrier looks more elegant than the catering cart some airlines use as a temporary barrier when pilots need the bathroom, but overall seems like misplaced priority (and therefore a distraction / unnecessary cost).
"To me, pilot mental health and one person in a flight deck presents a much bigger risk to aviation than the number of flight deck barriers there are. "
@Lucky... Exactly.
I am much more worried that flight crews could use this to stop passengers from fighting back.
Worldwide there has been 51 attempted hijackings since 9/11. Air rage incidents have increased since the pandemic and many involved charging toward the cockpit door. Pilots see the need for these doors. I trust their judgement.
If TSA screening was as shit-hot as the TSA would like everyone to think, this wouldn’t be necessary.
Supporting pilot mental health and having two pilots in the cockpit cost too much money. Lets just add another door and create the illusion of safety...
The next terrorist attack isn't going to be an airplane. It's going to be on the long line waiting for TSA inspection.
How many planes were hijacked in the last 25 years in places that don't even use the galley cart nonsense (i.e. most of the planet)? It's not like we don't have enemies in Europe, yet somehow it seems enough to barely close the curtain. The true security measures happen at completely different levels.
Youtube has daily videos of airport and airplane meltdown. Substance abuse, mental illness and toddler like behavior by adults has become the new threat to air safety, not to mention society in general. There have been situations where some nutcase has either tried to open a door inflight, albeit that can't happen or rush the cockpit. Luckily, they have not been able to get in or stopped by crew and other passengers. So the threat is real. Particularly when these people are let out the next day and not put on a Do Not Fly List.
Now does the threat require the cost of a second set of doors? That is debatable.
More theater. That’s all.
So, what’s stopping a bad actor from walking up, shutting the secondary barrier and then working on the cockpit door! This really wasn’t thought out well. It’s is more of a security issue waiting to happen than anything protecting you from harm.