As someone that as worked in this field for well over thirty years we use to ask why isn't there a third person in the cockpit for safety, we knew what it was,---costs.
The only way there are three and four pilots (747--777) is on trips longer more than 7 hours, they have an area in the cockpit for 747-380, 350, everyone else has assigned seats in the cabin for crew rest requirements.
And if there was a crew member dead heading and got permission from the captain "if" he/she could then get permission to ride in the cockpit with notification with dispatch and this would also include mechanics, check ride chief pilot or FAA, you had to get permission since the cockpit is considered a sterile platform, and the captain in charge could say no unless it was a check ride or FAA.
There is information coming out that the pilot out in the cabin could have gotten in by the restroom, that is not true, it would have taken longer than 10 minutes, because of how the jump seats and other equipment are configured in the cockpit, you would have needed the fire ax located in the cockpit.
EL Al has used this reinforced system and other backup reinforced door access systems for over 50 years prior to 9/11, that says something about there flight record and what they do to check there pilots before and during there time when they fly and there monitoring tests for fitness to fly, and they have a third individual in the cockpit. There last crash was in the 50's, that says something on there operation.
A NTSB recommendation was made years ago for a camera in the cockpit for the duration of the flight when check procedure started for pre-flight until the brakes where set at the gate upon arrivals, the pilots / manufactures said no, because of a lot of reasons, this reliance on the boxes has a lot of good, but also a lot of wrong.
I think its time for this latter its way over do
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