[PapaBear3625]

I am not saying that a flight attendant was called in because the pilot is sick...it is standard operating procedure to have a flight attendant stand in the cockpit while a pilot leaves the cockpit for any reason. It’s a safety procedure in the event the single pilot in the cockpit has a medical issue while the other pilot is using the restroom, etc. I am wondering first why the pilot left the cockpit...may to use the restroom? At that point a flight attendant would have been placed in the cockpit.

Maybe there WAS a flight attendant in there with the co-pilot. And she was the terrorist. Stab the co-pilot, lock the door, pilot the plane into the ground.

[halo66]

That could be as well!

[Talisker]

Maybe there WAS a flight attendant in there with the co-pilot. And she was the terrorist. Stab the co-pilot, lock the door, pilot the plane into the ground.

Good theory for the cockpit personnel problem.

If that's the cse, though, why then turn off the cellphone repeaters and ground phone comms? Possible answer - to buy time, and prevent from being shot down by the Mirages?

Problem with that - time is only important if you're aiming for a target, like a city. And why wouldn't you, if you're a Muslim terrorist? But apparently the goal was just a long, slow descent into the mountains. Doesn't sound like a terrorist target.