<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Mikey likes it:
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Put a "dead pedal" of sorts into effect for the cockpit. If the pilot doesn't perform a specific routine every 15-20 minutes or so, the plane is presumed hijacked and can be dealt with accordingly, which could include scrambling a military aircraft to make and maintain contact and though I hate to say it shoot or force the plane down if it threatens inhabited areas.
Install a system in the cockpit that would simultaneously put the a/c into uninterruptible autopilot mode and advise ground control of a hijacking. This would permit the pilots to abandon the cockpit if necessary while effectively maintaining control of the craft.
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Mike</font>
These are both great suggestions, and extremely do-able with current technology. I would add the lock-in of autopilot should be able to be activated by the crew using a personal "Secureid" method from multiple locations in the aircraft (galleys, lavs, etc.).
It's time to start thinking about security in the new century, not the 1970's hijackings to Cuba. And we're still flying similarly designed devices. It's time for "star trek" countermeasures like intruder alerts and auxillary controls.
NOT "no carry on bags" and silly stuff like that.