US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Is security on-board US flights too lax?

As I read the below article in the Washington Times, I remembered several recent flights on US where FAs did not coordinate blocking the galley door when crew entered/exited the cockpit. (On UA FAs are militant about this) Also after sitting in row 1 on the A330, I realized that no attempt seemed to be made to block the cockpit access. Is this just unique to the flights I have been on? Has anyone flying on US felt as unsafe as some of these pax on NW recently?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20040721-101403-1508r

Scouting jetliners for new attacks
By Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published July 22, 2004

Flight crews and air marshals say Middle Eastern men are staking out airports, probing security measures and conducting test runs aboard airplanes for a terrorist attack.
At least two midflight incidents have involved numerous men of Middle Eastern descent behaving in what one pilot called "stereotypical" behavior of an organized attempt to attack a plane.
"No doubt these are dry runs for a terrorist attack," an air marshal said.
Pilots and air marshals who asked to remain anonymous told The Washington Times that surveillance by terrorists is rampant, using different probing methods.
"It's happening, and it's a sad state of affairs," a pilot said.
A June 29 incident aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 327 from Detroit to Los Angeles is similar to a Feb. 15 incident on American Airlines Flight 1732 from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.
The Northwest flight involved 14 Syrian men and the American Airlines flight involved six men of Middle Eastern descent.
"I've never been in a situation where I have felt that afraid," said Annie Jacobsen, a business and finance feature writer for the online magazine Women's Wall Street who was aboard the Northwest flight.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20040721-101403-1508r

Both the Washington Times and the article referenced re: the NWA flight, are full of crap.

Check out both the In The News and the Security Fora for more on this hoax.

I cannot comment about the article from the Washington Post. However, on my most recent transcon experience (yesterday) -- the FA's did not block the F galley with the cart on several occasions when the Pilot or FO needed to go to the lavatory or to serve them drinks. I was kind of surprised to see this happen several times. On all of my other flights I've always seen the cart used. The key to security is consistency and to avoid giving anyone an opportunity.

Both the Washington Times and the article referenced re: the NWA flight, are full of crap.

Check out both the In The News and the Security Fora for more on this hoax.

Spiff, can you provide links to this information? I think there was another story in the WSJ that someone else posted a while back, but I haven't seen any follow up on it. I am not familiar with In the news or Security Fora. Thanks.

Spiff, can you provide links to this information? I think there was another story in the WSJ that someone else posted a while back, but I haven't seen any follow up on it. I am not familiar with In the news or Security Fora. Thanks.


Spiff is referring to the Flyer Talk Forums "Newsstand" and "Travel Safety/Security."

I cannot comment about the article from the Washington Post. However, on my most recent transcon experience (yesterday) -- the FA's did not block the F galley with the cart on several occasions when the Pilot or FO needed to go to the lavatory or to serve them drinks. I was kind of surprised to see this happen several times. On all of my other flights I've always seen the cart used. The key to security is consistency and to avoid giving anyone an opportunity.

the article was from the Washington Times, a newspaper with a quite different slant than the Post....

Having read the article about the NW flight, it struck me as nothing more than a racist diatribe of an overanxious woman, but that's for another thread....

Be that as it may, consistency is the most important part of security system and there shouldn't be any let up.

I personally don't see how blocking the cockpit with the cart is anything that I would consider a huge security step, and don't feel unsafe when they don't do it.

I don't know, of all the silly security measures out there I thought blocking the front with the cart when the pilot/co-pilot is using the restroom seemed to be a very low cost but somewhat effective maneuver. I'm sure there are some pretty agile terrorists but pole vaulting across a luggage cart should add an extra couple of seconds that could be critical ..

I don't think it's a big deal either way, but it definitely is hit and miss across the airlines. Wonder if the airlines thought of this themselves or if it's a TSA/FAA directive.

I thought it was common knowledge that when a terrorist is sitting in his seat, waiting for an engraved invitation to the cockpit mid-flight, that the cart in the way signals, "Sorry, buddy, try again next time."

We all know terrorists never use force to get into the cockpit. That's why it's so important to have that drink cart blocking the cockpit whenever the pilots have to go pee-pee. It's like a bank vault, especially if it's loaded with cheap alchoholic minis.

Apart from the article, I have noticed that US dont seem as compulsive about this as either UA or AA. I agree it is a good measure for them to take. It isnt designed to stop someone from getting through, it is designed to stop someone long enough to close the door to the cockpit. I dont have much doubt that it would be likely to do that.

On the issue of scouting out flights. I was on an AA flight, FCO to JFK in early mid June. They apparently took 6 to 8 middle eastern men aged 25-30, possible Saudi, off the flight at the boarding area from what I could tell. No announcements, lots of police showing up and pulling people out and checking docs. I didnt see any of them get on the flight. Hard to tell what it was about. It was about the same day and about the same time as the alledged leader of the Spain bombing was arrested in Milan. They might have had a very wide net out looking for him. Never heard anything more about it but it was not very comforting to see Im afraid.