Aviation Information

Airline Security; Stewardesses The Last Line Of Defense!


Introduction:

It might come as a chock to many people, including the Stewardesses, but the fact remains that in today's Airline Industry, the Stewardess is the last line of defense!

In the 11th of September terrorist attacks, on the WTC and Pentagon, the first victims were the Stewardesses. Savagely attacked by the terrorist on their way to the cockpit's and tortured to pressure pilots, to comply with the terrorists demands.

More mundane, but daily occurrences in the International Airline Industry, is unruly passengers. Who endangers the safety of co-passengers and the aircraft due to mental disturbances, alcohol consumption, stress or disregard for airline regulations, such as remaining seated during takeoff and landing etc. or smoking in prohibited areas on smokeless flights. Stewardesses are expected to deal with these travails, as first responders and can if necessary call on the Pilots for help, if the situation is beyond their control. However, first the Stewardesses have to intervene and are often the victim, of verbal and physical abuse from the unruly passengers.

After the 9-11 attacks pilots; should show precaution before leaving the cockpit, to assist in calming or restraining unruly passengers. The incident could well be a diversion to get the pilots to open, the now locked cockpits, whereupon conspirators of the unruly passenger/s will attack to get access to the cockpit.

Onboard Security:

On the majority of flights, there are no Air Marshals, so problems have to be faced by the Stewardesses. Who either have deal with the matter on their own, or wait for the pilot or co-pilot to assist, or occasionally call upon the assistance from other passengers. As these problems, have been around for decades and will be in the future, it is simply necessary for the Stewardesses to receive training in Self-Defense and Arrest techniques. These skills should simply be part of the standard Stewardess training program, with regular retraining.

Stewardesses have not always just been service minded, multi language, pretty women; when the Icelandic Airline was originally established, all Stewardesses where former Nurses, as that was thought to be necessary, in order to deal with any medical emergencies. My opinion is that today, a similar concern is valid and that is that the Stewardesses, should be able to deal with current security threats as well. It would also be wise, to continue the current trend of adding more Stewards to the crews and preferable to the level of half of the crew.

To give the Stewardesses an extra advantage, a non-lethal weapon such as a mini stun-gun or expandable baton, could be issued and used together with handcuffs etc. CCTV should be installed, with cameras placed in strategic positions, could be supplemented with RF frequency pen-type cameras carried on the Stewardesses uniforms. Monitors should be place in all crew areas; this would give added security, not only to the Stewardesses but also to the pilots, who would be able to respond earlier, to a potential security threat from unruly passengers or terrorists.

Now, some will argue that training Stewardesses, to deal with terrorist incidents are wrong and the focus should be on passenger and baggage security screening. To those I will say yes, I fully agree, to the necessity of pre-screening of passengers and baggage and an increase in Airport security procedures is necessary. However, the current efforts are focused primarily, on simply throwing in more security personnel and making them federal employees, which in reality has done little to actually increase security. This is a fact that is evident by the many cases of persons carrying weapons onboard aircrafts anyway.

This fact has repeatedly been proven by security inspections, where security agents, have boarded aircrafts with weapons and explosives etc. There is also the fact, that the Airlines often have little control over the actual Airport security and close to no-control at foreign Airports. In many foreign airports the airlines simply have to rely on the local security and the occasional inspections, by official institutions such as the FAA etc.

There is also the real threat, of terrorist co-operators working within the Airline service industry, which has access to the Aircrafts and could place weapons or bombs onboard the Aircraft, to be used by the terrorists. And finally, the violent unruly passenger, will always be part of the environment the Stewardesses faces. Perhaps these incidents can be reduced, by enforcing higher penalties and prison terms on those who violate Airline regulations in any manner. But these procedures are going to take time and meanwhile the problem remains, in the hands of the Stewardesses; Our last line of defense!

Dan Sommer is the author of the SD Agent, a Surveillance Detection Manual, he has been part of the process of designing, implementing and training a SD team for a European Embassy. His 17 years security career started in 1986 and he has active experience from military, security, close protection, counter assault team and surveillance detection operations. Since 1994 the author has been writing training material's for security companies and police departments. He has been instructing courses world-wide for security officers, bodyguards, police officers, counter assault teams and surveillance detection units. Dan currently acts as the International Director of the World Federation of Bodyguards and has a private business as a Security & Protection Consultant. His work can be viewed at his website http://www.DanSommer.Biz


MORE RESOURCES:

Plain Dealer

House, Senate Pass Aviation Safety Bill That Tightens Rules for Pilots
FairWarning (blog)
The Senate has joined the House of Representatives in passing an aviation bill that would mark the first comprehensive effort in ...
Congress Passes Aviation Safety BillHuffington Post (blog)
Obama to sign aviation bill todayBuffalo News
Flight 3407 families celebrate passage of aviation safety billWBFO
WKBW-TV -Los Angeles Times -The Associated Press
all 603 news articles »


AFP

FAA Downgrades Mexican Aviation System
NPR (blog)
The FAA downgraded Mexico's civil aviation system because of weaknesses with that nation's air-safety regulation. As if Mexico doesn't have ...
FAA: Mexico not meeting international aviation standardsSeattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
US downgrades its air safety rating for MexicoReuters
FAA downgrades Mexico's air safety ratingThe Associated Press
Channel 6 News Online -AFP -WFAA
all 262 news articles »


Congress OKs new aviation safety rules
Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
Congress on Friday approved new aviation safety rules developed in response to last year's Colgan Air Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 crash in western New York. ...
Air crash families get credit for safety rulesRocNow

all 3 news articles »


CBC.ca

Tampa International Airport agency to make first layoffs in 65 years
Tampabay.com
The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority plans to cut 27 employees, about 4 percent of its work force, by year's end, spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan said. ...
More jobs set to be created at Norwich airportNorfolk Eastern Daily Press
Air traffic up again at Orlando InternationalOrlando Sentinel
Nine Countries Participate in International ConferenceAviationNews.net
Richmond Times Dispatch -CanadianBusiness.com -msnbc.com
all 39 news articles »


msnbc.com

Four killed in Air Force plane crash in Alaska
Reuters
In light of the accident, Atkins said, the military was considering whether to go on with the aviation show, which also features precision flying ...
Military cargo aircraft crashes in AlaskaOne News Page

all 1,460 news articles »


AutoWeek

Aviation-Inspired SR-71 Blackbird Ford Mustang Raises $375000 for Youth Charity
AMTOnline.com
DEARBORN, Mich., July 29, 2010 – Ford Motor Company's one-of-a-kind, aviation-themed 2011 Ford Mustang raised $375000 for the nonprofit Experimental ...
http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1047782_roush-shelby-sr-71-mustang-sells ...Motor Authority (blog)

all 10 news articles »


Aviation camp kids take to the sky
WCSH-TV
CUMBERLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A group of middle school aged kids made their final day of aviation camp a blast by shooting rockets off into the sky. ...

and more »


Dassault sees no quick biz jet recovery
Reuters
PARIS, July 29 (Reuters) - France's Dassault Aviation (AVMD.PA) reported a pick-up in business jet orders but the maker of Falcon jets said ...
Dassault Aviation Earnings Climb, Sees No Recovery YetWall Street Journal
Dassault Aviation posts 37-percent growth in net profitsPeople's Daily Online
Dassault Falcon Deliveries Rise, but Sales SluggishAviation International News
Marketwire (press release)
all 14 news articles »


Nextant Aerospace's 400XT On Display at NBAA Business Aviation Regional Forum
MarketWatch (press release)
RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio, Jul 29, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nextant Aerospace will have their demonstration aircraft on display at the NBAA Business Aviation ...

and more »


Los Angeles Times

Eric Malnic dies at 73; former Times reporter covered Watts riots, aviation
Los Angeles Times
He later became noted for his coverage of aviation issues. Longtime LA Times reporter Eric Malnic in 1998. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) By Dennis ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map | index
© 2010