History of Deliberate Plane Crashes and Evolving Aviation Security

Recent security incidents in aviation, including an event on a Flydubai flight, have brought to mind historical instances of deliberate aircraft destruction and hijacking. These events have significantly shaped modern aviation security protocols. The 9/11 attacks, where terrorists hijacked three planes, remain a stark reminder, with passengers on United Flight 93 heroically attempting to thwart the hijackers, famously uttering "Let's roll." Beyond external threats, the cockpit itself has been a source of tragedy. In 2015, the Germanwings crash occurred when a co-pilot experiencing severe depression locked the cockpit door and intentionally crashed the plane into the Alps. A similar incident involved EgyptAir Flight 990 in 1999, which authorities attributed to pilot suicide despite Egyptian claims of technical failure.

In response to the Germanwings disaster, a global shift in procedure now mandates that a pilot never remains alone and locked in the cockpit. When one pilot leaves, a flight attendant must enter, or the door must remain open and secured. Additional security measures at airports stem from past attack attempts, such as Richard Reid's failed shoe-bomb attempt shortly after 9/11. The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 remains an unsolved mystery, with the reasons for the pilots' actions unknown. Conversely, bombings, like the Lockerbie disaster on Pan Am Flight 103, have become rarer due to advanced screening technology.

Israeli airline El Al employs heightened security measures, including double cockpit doors, rigorous pre-flight crew screening, and constant monitoring for warning signs, to prevent hijackings.