The government is reviewing aviation safety procedures to assess whether Australia should require airliners to always have two people on the flight deck.
That would go some way to avoiding the appalling tragedy this week when the co-pilot of a Germanwings flight locked the pilot out of the cockpit then deliberately steered the aircraft into the French Alps, killing all 150 on board.
The dead included two Australians Carol Friday, 68, and her Greig, 29.
Transport Minister Warren Truss briefed the national security committee of cabinet on the situation with Australian airlines which don't now require a minimum of two people on the flight deck at any time.
Following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the US in which terrorists took control of three airliners, airlines upgraded aircraft security with hardened cockpit access doors.
The door must remain locked for the duration of the flight, except when necessary to allow a person to enter or leave the cockpit.
Once an aircraft is airborne, only the pilot in command can allow entry to the cockpit.
But current Australian regulations do not require airlines to replace a pilot who temporarily leaves the cockpit.
Following the Germanwings tragedy, airlines and aviation regulators around the world have begun taking steps to ensure there are always two people in the cockpit.
Mr Truss said on Friday said there needed to be careful consideration to ensure that changing existing procedures didn't create other potential vulnerabilities.
He said Qantas and Virgin were conducting their own safety and security risk assessments of cockpit procedures.
Relatives of Carol and Greig Friday are now on route to Europe to visit the area of the crash.
Carol Friday's brother, Mal Coram, will represent the family in Seyne, France, along with his two daughters, Georgie and Pippa.
The Melbourne nurse's husband, Dave, and the couple's daughter, Alex, aren't travelling to France.
"We are expecting the family to visit the site early next week, probably on Monday," said Australia's ambassador in Paris, Stephen Brady.
"We hope that provides a small degree of solace."
