Fighting Terrorism: Ideas to Make the Airlines Safer

With the increasing terrorist threats around the world we live in the hope that Airlines and Airline Security are constantly updating and revising their procedures and incorporating the latest technological advancements to keep up with the ever-present terrorist threat.

I would also hope that Security would take suggestions from security professionals but also that they should accept and review ideas like the ones below. Sometimes the best idea's come completely out of left field and so what I'm basically suggesting is something of a 'suggestion box' for Airline security. So in light of this here's a list. Some I'm sure are already in place and some may currently be under consideration but you never know when ' Jo Blo', i.e.: you and me, might come up with that one simple idea that may help make Airline's safer for all of us.

1: That passenger seating could not be pre-assigned. Seats would only be assigned at Luggage Check-In to avoid pre-emptive plans of attack that rely on particular seating arrangements. Or, alternatively as seating blocks might run out if this method were adopted then seat's could be pre-assigned for couple's/group's but their location on the plane could not be released/revealed until Luggage Check-In.

2: No groups larger than (4) to be seated together **unless** children under 16 are part of the group. Parties of more than (4) should be separated by at least (10) rows.

3: All Hand-Luggage should be checked in with the Luggage Check. No bags should be bought onto the plane.

4: No Personal Cell Phones, MP3 Players or Electronic devices of any kind to be used during the course of the flight. Phones and electronic entertainment equipment could be supplied by the Airline themselves upon request during the flight. This should be part of the 'No-Hand-Luggage' policy.

5: Live video-feed from the inside of the plane to outside security source to monitor for suspicious behavior. This feed should be viewable by the Cockpit personnel also.

6: At baggage check-in to have a Video device that would take your picture and scan against known criminal elements against 'FBI' / 'Interpol' database.

7: If possible the ability to gas the cabin with an effective and safe knock-out gas deployable only from the (hopefully) sealed cockpit.

8: Absolutely no access to the Cock-Pit from inside the plane. The Cock-Pit should only be able to be opened from within by the Cock-Pit Crew. Any communication with Stewards/Stewardesses could be done through video feed and private phone line.

9: Bathrooms to be fitted with alarms that would notify cabin crew only if someone were to spend more than 10 minutes in the facilities. Overrides by key given to Stewards/Stewardesses.

10: If possible an electrical discharge that could disable any electrical device smuggled on-board but obviously not strong enough or in the same range that it could possibly affect the plane's electronics.

Now, admittedly some of these ideas may not be feasible. The electrical discharge idea might be impossible or too dangerous to implement. I'm just throwing it out there along with the other ideas for people who know better than I what is and isn't possible. But these are ideas. An idea can be a dangerous thing but it can also be hugely helpful and who knows could help save lives. There are millions of people out there flying the world and I'm sure that there must be some excellent ideas out there that aren't in place and perhaps haven't even been contemplated. It seems to me that all ideas and suggestions should be welcomed and reviewed by the powers that be for the safety of us all.