Question concerning airline captains / pilots who told passengers how to

tell would be sky pirates "highjack this"



If anyone here was on an airliner and their pilot or captain gave the famous "here's how to tell would - be sky pirates "HIGHJACK THIS" speech," would they clap and cheer in response? I know I would.

I consider it patronizing in the extreme.

I had it given to me on the first flight I took after Sept 11, about six weeks later. It was on United. I was sitting next to a young woman who was attending a local college on an athletic scholarship, and she was good-naturedly complaining about having her nail clippers taken from her.

After the pilot gave his "We're all in this together and don't let anyone take over the plane" speech it was all I could do not to ring the flight attendant call button and request that the young lady next to me be re-armed to help out in the event of a hijacking.

Thank you, but I don't need to be treated like an idiot child.

AIR MARSHALS perhaps? or maybe to be shot down by the Air Force??????????????

On edit I couldn't help but think had Al Gore given a barnburner of a "We're all in this together, united we stand so don't let the Retchpubs highjack the election" speech he probably would have been in the White House today, or maybe not.

Not patronized.

We're all assumed to be hijackers, each and every one of us these days.

It has improved somewhat since the federalization of security, but too many elderly nuns and mothers with toddlers are given the most thorough search possible. It's dumb and insulting. Don't do that and then make the speech.

Quite frankly, profiling is effective. How many elderly nuns, women with toddlers, or even middle aged women travelling with their teenage sons (like myself) have hijacked planes? The answer is exactly zero. And don't hand me that nonsense about the two teenage girls who were suicide bombers in Israel. Nor say, Next time they'll use someone like that and won't you be sorry.

The reality is that what happened Sept 11 could not have been prevented unless all passengers had been required to board the plane naked, or perhaps dressed only in airline-provided clothing and not permitted any carryon stuff at all.

The air marshall program is a joke. I was around when they were using it back in the 70's (former airline employee here) and I can tell you that a more arrogant bunch of jerks I never saw. It's not possible to have a marshall on each plane. And giving the pilot a gun is one of the dumbest ideas out there.

I do fly reasonably often. I'm flying to Detroit on Friday. Although I've taken up making driving trips instead whenever I have the time, because I'm tired of the nonsense of security.

But back to my main point. I think the speech is patronizing. And I don't like being patronized. If it doesn't feel that way to you, then fine. Sit back and be treated like a child.

taken away. Honestly the speech doesn't bother me.

put your foot out and trip any bastard bent on highjacking the plane.


Just an idea I had or my $0.02 worth. :)