Pilots today condemned "ill-conceived" moves by British Airways to introduce secure cockpits across its fleet in an attempt to deter terrorist attacks.
BA's move follows that of American Airlines, which today announced it has secured the cockpits of its entire fleet of nearly 900 jet aircraft.
Both airlines are introducing their own locking mechanisms to ensure that the cockpit can be sealed and then only opened from the inside. BA's reinforced door will withstand 800 tonnes of pressure, while American Airlines has installed heavy-duty bars on its doors to prevent intruders from accessing the cockpit. BA's £1m plan will be completed by the end of the year
Virgin Atlantic are to fit a bullet-proof door to all aircraft. The door, which has an aluminium and steel deadbolt on the inside, is said to be bullet-, heat- and shockproof, and has digital locks.
However, the British Air Line Pilots' Association (BALPA) said the measures could further endanger passengers.
BALPA general secretary Christopher Darke said: "British pilots have long believed that locked cockpit doors are not the answer to the threat of hijacking.
"After all, the cockpit doors on the four airliners taken by the terrorists on September 11 were all locked.
"But having doors that flight crew cannot lock or unlock from their normal operating positions - as BA and Virgin propose - is ill-considered, ill-conceived and potentially dangerous.
"Deadlocks will put passengers in more, not less, danger."
David Hyde, BA's director of safety and security, said: "Safety is our top priority and the bedrock of our reputation. This is a major security improvement and is another stage in our continuing programme of security enhancements.''
The airline is continuing to examine a range of other security initiatives, including CCTV on the flight deck, and computer software to entrap suspicious passengers at check-in.
BA said it was still considering whether to introduce air marshals on some flights. It was also examining other permanent changes to aircraft.
Other aviation experts gave a guarded welcome but warned that locked cockpits should not be regarded as a solution. Philip Baum, editor of Aviation Security International, said: "The current technology needs to be combined with CCTV to work properly.
"It should never be presented as an alternative to a sky marshal to protect passengers. Another piece of the jigsaw that has been put in place. But above all, we need to identify passengers before they get on the plane, through computer screening techniques."
