The UK鈥檚 Virgin Atlantic airline is planning to introduce a double-door security barrier to prevent hijackers from reaching plane cockpits and gaining control of an aircraft. The aim is to create an air-lock type chamber between the cabin and cockpit to ensure that only authorised personnel can actually reach the cockpit.
鈥淭hese doors would be bullet, heat and shock proof with digital locks and CCTV monitors to ensure that only authorised staff gain entry,鈥� said Virgin Atlantic鈥檚 chairman Richard Branson on Wednesday.
These measures will not begin to be rolled out until summer 2002, but VA is planning to fit armour and deadlock bolts to the existing cockpit doors in all 32 of its planes by November. British Airways also announced new plans on Wednesday, in their case for a reinforced single door.
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However, pilots are 鈥渇uming鈥� that they have not been consulted. The British Air Line Pilots Association described the measures as 鈥渋ll-considered, ill-conceived and potentially dangerous鈥�.
Checking up
They say this is because cabin crew need to be able to periodically check on the flight crew to ensure they are still in control of the plane. Deadlock bolts leave open the possibility of having an incapacitated flight crew and no way of gaining access to the cockpit.
BALPA experts are also investigating the effect of reinforced doors on other safety grounds. In the event of a violent cockpit depressurisation, a strengthened door risks causing the cockpit floor to collapse inwards.
鈥淭hat is why current doors are fragile,鈥� explained the BALPA spokesman. 鈥淭hey need to be able to break immediately when a calculated pressure is applied to them.鈥�
Ground force
A BALPA spokesman told 快猫短视频 that too much is being made of the cockpit doors. 鈥淥n September 11 all the doors leading to the cockpits were locked,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to stop hijackers before they get on the plane.鈥�
But BALPA did concede that a double door system could have advantages over the existing single door, because it would allow cockpit crew to screen people before permitting them to enter.
Virgin Atlantic said that the double doors are a security measure that complements added security measures being taken during check-in. The company believes its new measures on the ground will prevent the double door needing to be used.