Summary
A photo of a new security feature inside a Southwest Airlines plane, nicknamed "sky jail," sparked online curiosity. The feature is actually a "secondary cockpit barrier" designed to protect pilots during moments when the cockpit door is open, following safety rules created after the September 11 attacks.
Key Facts
- A passenger shared a photo of a "barred door" on a Southwest Airlines flight, calling it a "sky jail."
- The feature is known as a secondary cockpit barrier, not a jail cell.
- It is designed to secure the cockpit when the main door has to be opened during flights.
- Reinforced cockpit doors have been standard since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
- The Federal Aviation Administration requires these barriers on new aircraft, but older planes are not yet required to have them.
- Southwest Airlines is among the first U.S. carriers to install these on newly manufactured planes.
- The feature replaces older security methods, like using beverage carts to block access.
