# Questions about sky marshalls **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 21, 2014, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019 "2014-10-21T12:52:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![exile3D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@exile3D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exile3D)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/1 "2014-10-21T12:52:16Z")
I have a few questions about sky marshalls 1. on which flights do they usually serve? mainly flights TO the US? 2. are they really carrying guns? What if a terrorist overwhelms one of them? Then he has basically a free ticket to take over the train? 3. Are sky marshalls agents or policemen? 4. are there always two of them? (or even more?) thank you very much ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/2 "2014-10-21T13:54:49Z")
We are not going to do your Jr. Terrorist homework for you, buddy. ---
**Author:** ![Reverend\_Meade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Reverend\_Meade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverend_Meade)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/3 "2014-10-21T14:23:05Z")
#3 seems safe enough to answer. Sky Marshals are Federal Agents and specifically are part of the Department of Homeland security. As far as I can tell, they are pretty much the only worthwhile part of that agency. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/4 "2014-10-21T14:29:10Z")
Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/5 "2014-10-21T14:34:58Z")
> [@exile3D](#): > > Then he has basically a free ticket to take over the train? If that train is in the sky, they probably have bigger problems than terrorism. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/6 "2014-10-21T14:35:29Z")
1. every flight has multiple sky marshalls. 2. they all carry guns which are coded to only fire if their own DNA is present, and the guns stop working if they are dead. 3. They are federal agents and trained ninjas. No one can be a sky marshall until they have killed a dozen terrorists with their bare hands. 4. There are always more than 2, sometimes as many as a dozen depending on the size of the flight. ---
**Author:** ![Reverend\_Meade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Reverend\_Meade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverend_Meade)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/7 "2014-10-21T14:40:31Z")
exile3D, you’ve started 3 threads so far. One about breaking down pilot doors in flight, one about a conspiracy theory, and this one one about Sky Marshals. Are we going to see you on the news soon? ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/8 "2014-10-21T14:49:09Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > 1. There are always more than 2, sometimes as many as a dozen depending on the size of the flight. I was actually on a flight on which everyone other than myself was a sky marshal. I must be a sketchy kind of guy. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/9 "2014-10-21T14:50:14Z")
The short answer is - they aren’t going to tell you or me what the details of security arrangements are. As for taking over planes, breaking down doors, fights with sky marshals… The 9/11 hijack is one of those “we can only do it once” trick like the old Daffy Duck cartoon. Up to 9/11 the standard behaviour was “cooperate, land, negotiate, eventually things are settled and we all come home safe.” Since then, there are plenty of tricks a pilot can do to make someone regret they were not buckled in, if things in the cabin get difficult. It’s tough to hold a hostage and a weapon, or chop a door open, when you’re bouncing off the ceiling several times a minute, and nowadays pilots are motivated to take evasive maneuvers. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/10 "2014-10-21T14:54:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **iiiiandyiiiiii** : > > 1. They are federal agents and trained ninjas. No one can be a sky marshall until they have killed a dozen terrorists with their bare hands. > > 2. There are always more than 2, sometimes as many as a dozen depending on the size of the flight. [Aw, man, in that case we’re screwed](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ConservationOfNinjutsu). ---
**Author:** ![exile3D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@exile3D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exile3D)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/11 "2014-10-21T15:00:18Z")
> [@Reverend\_Meade](#): > > exile3D, you’ve started 3 threads so far. One about breaking down pilot doors in flight, one about a conspiracy theory, and this one one about Sky Marshals. Are we going to see you on the news soon? haha no don’t worry but I was on a flight to the US lately and I was wondering how the security changed since 9/11 since I didn’t visit the states since then maybe some FBI agents will knock on my door soon though 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/12 "2014-10-21T15:05:16Z")
Nitpick: since 1974, they’ve been called [Air Marshals](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Air_Marshal_Service), not Sky Marshals. ---
**Author:** ![exile3D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@exile3D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exile3D)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/13 "2014-10-21T15:08:57Z")
nitpick: i heard that they use guns that can not acutally hurt the planes hull…no idea how this works but they mentioned that in a documentary ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/14 "2014-10-21T15:12:01Z")
> [@exile3D](#): > > nitpick: i heard that they use guns that can not acutally hurt the planes hull…no idea how this works but they mentioned that in a documentary Special bullets maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/15 "2014-10-21T15:16:44Z")
> [@Reverend\_Meade](#): > > exile3D, you’ve started 3 threads so far. One about breaking down pilot doors in flight, one about a conspiracy theory, and this one one about Sky Marshals. Are we going to see you on the news soon? Maybe we already have!!! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/16 "2014-10-21T15:29:16Z")
> [@exile3D](#): > > nitpick: i heard that they use guns that can not acutally hurt the planes hull…no idea how this works but they mentioned that in a documentary … that’s not a nitpick. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/17 "2014-10-21T15:30:45Z")
They are hiding in the overhead bins. That’s why it’s so hard to get your carry on in there. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/18 "2014-10-21T15:47:05Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > 1. every flight has multiple sky marshalls. Incorrect that is. Always two there are, no more, no less. A master and an apprentice. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/19 "2014-10-21T16:07:30Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > 1. every flight has multiple sky marshalls. > > 2. they all carry guns which are coded to only fire if their own DNA is present, and the guns stop working if they are dead. > > 3. They are federal agents and trained ninjas. No one can be a sky marshall until they have killed a dozen terrorists with their bare hands. > > 4. There are always more than 2, sometimes as many as a dozen depending on the size of the flight. These are all false. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019/20 "2014-10-21T16:25:22Z")
AFAIK - the windshield and windows are shatterproof glass, so you’re not going create a massive decompression like we see in the movies with a bullet hole. Even less likely with a hole in the hull. I assume they use lower-velocity bullets anyway that will stop a body but aren’t going to go through several bodies and a few layers of metal. Of course, once shots are fired, the aircraft will land at the nearest available airport and be surrounded by SWAT teams, so a minor air leak will not be a major problem. If necessary they can descend to cruise at 12,000 feet until they reach the airport, so that air pressure is not a problem. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-sky-marshalls/702019.md?page=2)