Reuters reports that Israel’s Transport Ministry have ordered that passengers on all incoming flights be confined to their seats for the last 180 miles (half-hour) before landing as part of heightened precautions against hijacking.
They said the Transport Ministry order, issued to local and foreign airlines on Wednesday, cited threats by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas to avenge the February 12 assassination of their operations chief by waging “open war” against the Jewish state.
“Our new policy is that planes lock their flight-deck doors and activate the ‘please fasten seat belts’ signs when 180 miles away from Israel,” one Israeli security source told Reuters.
“It’s a precaution against hijackers storming the cockpit in the final approach, given the current terrorist threat level,” the source said, adding that previously it was up to the airlines to decide when to ask passengers to remain seated.
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6 Responses
Can you imagine trying to do that on a typical incoming flight? There are usually a few people still standing at touchdown. (:-)
Passengers seated? On an Israeli flight!? GET REAL!!!
The fact everyone is seated for the last 30 minutes of the flight,(which is torcherous) how is it a precaution for a terrorist to hijack a plane? If this is the case, why doesn’t all airlines enforce this order?
In the US this is the rule for all flights.
Not quite sure how this would stop a terrorist highjacker whp has plans and the equipemnt to highjack a plane.
You mean hes going to abort his plans if he is told to sit down?
No, if he stands up, he’ll immediately stand out.