Highjackers - what to do?
Sep 12, 2001 | 12:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Northern California, USA
Programs: Most FF and hotel, i.e., spread too thin.
Posts: 142
Highjackers - what to do?
We need to think about highjacking and what to do. For one thing, there is the copycat syndrome that may lead to more of the type in the near future.
Frequent flyers will naturally have more exposure to highjacking risk. Let's think ahead and prepare for that terrible possibility. We can learn from stories from yesterday, especially the report that on the UAL down in PA, 3 passengers may have intervened. It seems very possible they prevented that plane fom hitting a target in the DC or Camp David area.
Background.
- we agree we are all in this together and must work together.
- suicide highjackers result in everyone dying.
- even non-suicide highjackers (ransoms, etc) often result in passenger and crew deaths, especially outside the US.
- there are many fewer highjackers than passengers and crew in any incident, e.g., ratios of 1:20 - 1:120.
Therefore, let's agree that if we are on a flight where highjackers are taking control, i.e., are killing passengers or crew or are physically flying the plane, that we passengers will rise up en masse to overpower them, realizing we may die a few minutes earlier than otherwise.
Proposed triggers for this action:
1. highjacker kills someone, or
2. highjacker takes plane's controls, or
3. plane is clearly being used as a suicide bomb.
Frequent flyers will naturally have more exposure to highjacking risk. Let's think ahead and prepare for that terrible possibility. We can learn from stories from yesterday, especially the report that on the UAL down in PA, 3 passengers may have intervened. It seems very possible they prevented that plane fom hitting a target in the DC or Camp David area.
Background.
- we agree we are all in this together and must work together.
- suicide highjackers result in everyone dying.
- even non-suicide highjackers (ransoms, etc) often result in passenger and crew deaths, especially outside the US.
- there are many fewer highjackers than passengers and crew in any incident, e.g., ratios of 1:20 - 1:120.
Therefore, let's agree that if we are on a flight where highjackers are taking control, i.e., are killing passengers or crew or are physically flying the plane, that we passengers will rise up en masse to overpower them, realizing we may die a few minutes earlier than otherwise.
Proposed triggers for this action:
1. highjacker kills someone, or
2. highjacker takes plane's controls, or
3. plane is clearly being used as a suicide bomb.
Sep 13, 2001 | 12:42 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: East Bay, CA UA1K
Posts: 813
You want a low-tech solution to a low tech hjacking? How about a STAMPEDE of passengers not armed, but protected against butterknives with our floatable seat cushions? Sure, someone has to be first, and those in the front might get trampled along with the bad guys, but after this week, who wouldn't fight to be first in line?
After this week, I cannot imagine anyone ever again going quietly to their deaths.
After this week, I cannot imagine anyone ever again going quietly to their deaths.
Sep 13, 2001 | 8:30 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: LVK
Posts: 120
I'm with you RickR. Wasn't the least number of passengers 60? With even 25 against 5 most of the passengers and likely many people on the ground could have been saved. We can not assume we will be safe if we sit still and keep from being noticed. It makes me want to take Karate classes.