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View Full Version : Reactionary vs. Proactive


09-13-2001, 10:09 PM
What disturbs me the most is the solutions people ( ie; FAA) come up with in reaction to this horrible event - like banning curbside checkin - banning E-tickets - banning the sale of and posession of knives in airports.


The scariest thought in this whole tragedy may be that the hijackers DIDN'T have automatic weapons or bombs - but merely knives or boxcutters/razor blades. It seems SO reactionary to me to attempt to prevent people from bringing such items onto planes - i do not believe we will ever be able to prevent someone from bringing something that could be used as a weapon onto an airplane. If it's not a razor blaze concealed in a shoe or belt buckle, it will be a ceramic knife.


We need to think about policy changes, such as not opening the cockpit door under any circumstances - this opens up a whole new can of ethical worms - would a pilot be willing to have his entire crew and passenger contingent slaughtered by terrorists demanding to gain access to the cockpit? Perhaps if he knew they would crash the plane into the WTC, but most hijackers have demands they want met, not just targets to hit...


The debates are limitless, but i don't think banning knives in airports is the answer, or even part of the answer. ALso, suggestions such as reviving the sky marshall program ( where armed and trained US marshalls are on flights) are rather un-feasible - the US has 10,000 flights daily... wow...


My thoughts and wishes to all of you, victims, survivors, aid workers, rescue workers, and concerned citizens.

-JK