What should we do when we experience hijacking?
 

Looks like things are getting worse these days and it came up to my mind since I fly a lot on commerical airplanes.

What actions could we take realistically when we experience hijacking?

Is it the best to just sit calm and follow what the hijackers tell us to do?

What are your thoughts on this?

What kind of person are you? What would you do if someone asked you for your wallet?


Are you one who does not like to make a scene?
or
Do you take charge and not allow anyone else to push you around?

No, they're not. Look back at the 1970s and you'll see that there was much more hijacking than there is today. Don't be influenced by that mentally unstable fool in Egypt today.

For most people, trying to stay calm and not attract attention is probably smart. Later it could be good to try to make friends with the person holding you hostage in some situations, perhaps talk of family or try to pretend to be sympathetic.

If you have to ask this, the best thing you can do for yourself is stay in your seat and try to be calm.

Hitching a ride to Cuba and slamming into buildings are two different things.

Stay calm and adjust behavior as needed based on a thoughtful assessment of the situation while in the situation.

The world is a pretty safe place today relative to say a century ago, with life expectancy numbers to show for it.

Realistically, the odds of me being struck by lightning and dying from it are much higher than of me being on a hijacked plane. Time to wear a giant rubber suit at all times?

You can take a selfie with your friendly hijacker: https://twitter.com/JayWhatley/statu...10493114843136 :rolleyes:

An event 15 years ago and the monthly hijackings from the '70s are also two different things. I don't think you can even call the latter "these days".

And I certainly don't see hijackings "getting worse these days" unless I've completely missed the news stories.

Unfortunately, post 9/11 I have to assume they will crash they plane, killing not only everyone on board, but many on the ground. I would attack anyone who attempted to hijack the plane, and use as much force as needed to stop them. No holds barred - eye gouging, groin shots, biting - anything it takes to stop the threat, and if they die it's on them, not me. If I'm going to die, I'll do it fighting.

Agreed, if the situation is going to far, and any resolution is getting more and more unlike, I would do my best to defend my family (may be even myself), unless the risk my sole action could cause to other passengers is widely bigger than chances of resolution.

Maybe you should read up on hijackings of the 1970s before you post this sort of nonsense.

It depends on what they are doing.

If they are just threatening and demanding the pilots do <x> then let them be. Unless <x> is impossible (I'm thinking of that hijacking in Africa where they demanded to fly to a location beyond the range of the fuel on board) the pilots will do <x> and you'll be on the ground somewhere, almost certainly safer than settling it in the air.

On the other hand, if they are trying to gain access to the cockpit it's no holds barred. Organize as many passengers as you can to take them down, if they have weapons less than guns grab luggage as a shield.

Tricky question.

Firstly, I'd imagine it would be close to impossible to know if it's a 9/11-style, 'crash into a building,' hijacker or a egypt air 'I just want to meet my wife again' hijacker. The former necessitates far greater personal action/risk-taking than the latter.

Personally I would probably just do nothing other than login to the plane's wi-fi, buy internet access, and send "this might be goodbye" messages to all my loved ones.

Pray? :confused:

You can tell them apart--kamikaze flights inherently involve obtaining access to the cockpit. No cockpit, wait it out. Cockpit (any serious attempt to obtain access), take them down at all costs.

Nah, I'm taking them down at all costs regardless of whether they're attempting to breach the cockpit. If they're hijacking the plane to do anything for any reason, I'm fighting dirty and taking them down. I'm not going to sit there and assume things about their intentions.

I think you can probably tell them apart (political claim type versus kill the lot type) so that may impact my decision, but I am firmly of the 'take them out as soon as you can, if you can' camp (exceptions would be if they were wearing explosive vests with dead man triggers, holding a grenade with pin removed, etc.).

I think the population, as a whole, is more inclined to cooperate to defeat hostages on a plane in a post 9-11 world, as the loss of life on board would almost certainly be less than the loss of life on the ground if that was the intent of the terrorists. Even if the terrorists had small arms (I am assuming the likelihood of anything larger than a handgun is remote) there is a finite number of shots they can fire before needing to stop to reload.

I also think pilots are maybe more likely to cause potential harm to passengers to save the plane load these days as well (e.g. knocking out oxygen supply to the cabin) which would be a good option, provided no dead man triggers of course!

The chances of anyone experiencing a hijacking is extremely remote, unless you are the hijacker.

There are plenty of risks that are far more likely to occur to worry about instead of this.

There was a sea change in common wisdom that occurred in real time on 9-11. Before then, it was "Everyone stay quiet, do what the hijackers want, and you'll all get out alive." By mid-morning on that fateful day people had figured out, "The hijackers are determined to kill every single person on this plane plus thousands more on the ground. Consider yourselves deputized."

Thank you for the answers I had thought would be given to the OP's question.

Man, I really hope I'm not on the same flight as you if it's a ride to Cuba kind of hijacking. And...
Man, I really hope I am on the same flight as you if it's a 9/11 kind of hijacking.

In a world where our kids know about Run, Hide, or Fight, something tells me you're hardwired for the last one. Respect.

-1. Needlessly harsh.

Maybe you should read up on some of these as well. I doubt you'd feel the same way if you knew someone who went through this.

Agreed.

You realize that the 9/11 hijackers also claimed if people complied they would not be hurt, right?

Frankly, it isn't about being a hero per se. It's about the fact that sadly, it's better to risk the loss of the plane than the loss of the plane PLUS lives on the ground.

Exactly. That's kinda the point. Hard to say whether fighting back is foolish/unhelpful vs warranted heroism (to save other people).

And calling someone's opinion nonsense (even if it it seems warranted) is -1 on the scale of Promoting Civil Discourse.

maybe we can try to hide in some space like restroom or other small cabin

Very true, and this knowledge is very likely why flight 93 didn't reach its intended target. The passengers on that flight knew about the earlier hijackings and weren't going to let it happen again.

I think that political hijackers will usually make it clear what they want, such as the release of prisoners. If they don't, it's safe to assume they are suicide hijackers, and charge against them.

Are you as much as a superhero stud in real life as you are on the interwebs?

1. Check out flightradar24
2. See how many flights there are at any one time
3. Realise how unlikely a hijacking is.
4. Relax

You do realize that ordinary civilians have been involved in taking out various hijackers, wannabe hijackers and even wannabe bombers since 9/11?

Sometimes the best chance for self-preservation involves taking a risk that you may be injured or killed in the process. You do realize that there are at least two responses undertaken as part of self-preservation efforts in the face of hostility? Fight or flee. Flee from a plane in the sky? Superheroes may have organic wings, but I know no one like that. ;)

^ Same here

Yeah, if you have a kamikaze hijacker any action from the authorities will consist of employing weapons against the plane. They can't save you, all they can do is save the target.

The only hope of survival against a kamikaze hijacker is to keep them out of the cockpit, or retake the plane if they do capture the cockpit. To not act is certain death, in such a case you act no matter how long the odds.

Furthermore, there will likely be plenty of people traveling with loved ones. Even if acting means certain death (say, jumping the guy with the grenade knowing you'll both end up in a pile on it) if it gives your loved ones a chance it's still worth doing.

If they try to storm the cockpit, take them down by any means necessary.
Otherwise, play the grey man. I.e. sit down, shut up, don't move and try not to get noticed.
Take action if, and only if, it is completely necessary. If you do take action, don't hold back - no half measures.

Tweet about it. Nowadays with wi fi on planes, people will cry for help on social media. it will get to the authorities, and the plane will get shot down

Nice troll, but taking the only logical path to ensure you exit a situation alive isn't exactly "superhero" material, it's actually pretty selfish if you think about it :)

Now if I took the same stance in say, a shooting in the terminal, then yes you'd be right to say I'm some John Wayne type. (But in that scenario, I'd run like hell!)

Based upon what data? The Golden Age of highjackings was 1968 to 1979. They implemented regulations then to largely stop it. If you head over to the Security forum, you'll hear all of the tin foil hat wearing folks complain about them.

Highjackings are extremely uncommon assurances. I would suggest that you stay out of countries like Belgium with minorities that are prone to extreme violence, fundamentalist religious states and places with political instability or high rates of violent crime in general. That said, the airline part of that doesn't create much of an issue for you.

By far the most sensible answer to this question. And, if you have time, ask forgiveness for your sins. Finally, try to remember the finest aspects of your loved ones.

I have no idea, but I do know I'd way rather have the guy that attacks the hijackers and does something on my flight rather than the person that drops snark bombs about him on the internet.

Before also.
http://content.time.com/time/magazin...,55721,00.html