[steve-b]

While it's true that passengers are more likely to fight hijackers, that's no reason to reject the additional line of defense created by arming the pilots.

For that matter, the passenger line of defense could be bolstered at trivial cost by putting a nice solid blackjack in each seat-back pocket.

[supercat]

While it's true that passengers are more likely to fight hijackers, that's no reason to reject the additional line of defense created by arming the pilots.

As I've noted elsewhere, I think arming pilots for the specific and sole purpose of securing the flight deck is completely sensible. Neither the training nor equipment would be particularly expensive. Reinforcing the door so it takes at least 30 seconds to open and giving the pilots weapons to use once after 30 seconds are up is apt to be much cheaper than reinforcing the doors to withstand a 15-minute assault. And if there isn't either an available airport within 15 minutes, or an armed pilot behind the door, a 15-minute door will accomplish little once the 15 minutes are up.