Jammed Air Canada Jazz Cockpit Door Exposes Flaws

A bizarre incident on a recent Air Canada Jazz flight that left the pilot locked out of the cockpit highlights just one of several potential threats facing passengers once they've cleared security, says an airline terrorism expert.

But a spokeswoman for Air Canada Jazz said the security and safety of passengers was not compromised and says there's no need for concern or further investigation.

The snafu occurred last Saturday when, with about 30 minutes left on a flight from Ottawa to Winnipeg, the captain left the cockpit to use the washroom at the back of the plane.

The first officer was at the controls, as is usual in such situations.

When the pilot returned, he couldn't get back in the cockpit. The crew had to take the door off its hinges to force it open, allowing the pilots to land safely in Winnipeg.

Peter St. John, who teaches courses in terrorism and airline security at the University of Manitoba, says the incident sends a message to terrorists.

"The fact the story is out gives a signal to people who want to hijack planes that it's still fairly easy to do," says St. John, who has contributed to airline security reports prepared by the auditor general and the Senate.

"The pilot really shouldn't have to go to the back of the plane to have a pee."

The plane was a Bombardier CRJ-100, which carries up to 50 passengers and does not have washrooms at the front.

Air Canada Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stuart says this is the first time the airline has encountered such a problem in flight.

"We've investigated the matter and we found the crew followed our standard operational procedures, which are in full compliance with security regulations governed by Transport Canada," says Stuart.

The airline did not make Transport Canada aware of the incident because it fell into the category of "non-reportable."

St. John says there are other examples across the country, with various airlines, of troubling non-reportable security threats that can occur at the gate or on the plane.

For instance, he says, too many bags are still being loaded onto planes when the owner is not on the same flight. Not all luggage is screened just before it goes in the cargo hold, and employees loading planes don't always have proper security clearance.

When passengers have to switch planes due to a mechanical problem, there is inadequate security to make sure someone doesn't sneak on or sneak something on, he adds.

"It's just a really bad scene and it gives a bad image," says St. John.

"It says to people that Canadian security is sloppy and Canadian airplane maintenance is poor and this is not the message we want to be giving to the terrorists."

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