Narrative:

Many local airport authorities are installing cipher locks on the inside of jetways. I feel security in this case compromises safety. A jetway with access to the ramp is an emergency exit. Uninstructed evacuate/evacuation requires immediate access to ramp by cockpit crew members. An A320 airbus has sensitive cargo fire detectors, easily activated on the ground by jet blast. There is an urgent need to access the ramp to determine if there is an actual fire problem. There are more sits of safety around aircraft requiring immediate ramp access. Combination locks jeopardize safety in exchange for security.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CAPT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE INSTALLATION, BY ARPTS, OF CIPHER LOCKS ON THE INSIDE OF JETWAY DOORS WHICH HE FEELS SHOULD BE LEFT AS EMERGENCY EXITS.

Narrative: MANY LOCAL ARPT AUTHORITIES ARE INSTALLING CIPHER LOCKS ON THE INSIDE OF JETWAYS. I FEEL SECURITY IN THIS CASE COMPROMISES SAFETY. A JETWAY WITH ACCESS TO THE RAMP IS AN EMER EXIT. UNINSTRUCTED EVAC REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO RAMP BY COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS. AN A320 AIRBUS HAS SENSITIVE CARGO FIRE DETECTORS, EASILY ACTIVATED ON THE GND BY JET BLAST. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO ACCESS THE RAMP TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS AN ACTUAL FIRE PROB. THERE ARE MORE SITS OF SAFETY AROUND ACFT REQUIRING IMMEDIATE RAMP ACCESS. COMBINATION LOCKS JEOPARDIZE SAFETY IN EXCHANGE FOR SECURITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.