Quote:
Originally Posted by JimboJ
You're missing the point entirely. The people on the ground don't know what really is going on in that plane. Just because the pilot states that the guy was trying to blow up the plane with his shoes, doesn't mean its true. A person will say anything if he's got a gun to his head, and the lives of hundreds of passengers in his hands. Or maybe the bomb gives off some kind of gas that disables everyone on the plane, unless they are wearing a gas mask. You just don't know.
I always assumed that there are fighter jets constantly flying around over our airways just in case another 9/11 occurs. If these guys are up in the air anyway, and something like this happens where there may be ven the slightest chance of danger, why not have them escort the plane until it lands safely? We are paying for the salaries and the planes and the fuel when they are doing manuevers anyway, so what do you have to lose by being extra cautious?
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This. The Air Force runs regular training flights anyway, and these make good training. This is all aside from the TSA, I doubt that having to scramble fighter jets once a month or so is going to add anything to the Air Force's budget, as those pilots / planes would have been flying anyway.
And you just have no idea what is actually going on, so you send the planes along in case it all goes to pot and you need to save folks on the ground.
So it's no extra money, provides a training service to pilots, and may possibly save a life (or a thousand) on the ground. Really, where is the con in all this?
The TSA we can have a whole separate discussion on, I doubt it's at all effective, costs a ton of money, and (along with airline behavior) has all but guaranteed I'll never get on a plane again.