Airport Security After September 11, 2001

Most employees were only required to show their I.Ds to surpass security in and around the building. Sharp objects like razors, scissors or tools weren’t seen as a threat. Even guns were allowed if you had the proper licensing and protective case to place it in. A common scenario at airports and train stations consisted of families and friends waving goodbye or welcoming tem with open arms as a loved one came home or set off on a new chapter of their life. Times have definitely changed, and for good reason. A majority of people are familiar with the world news that occurred on September 11, 2001 when two airplanes flew into the Twin Towers of New York, a massive terroristic attack that killed thousands of people in a matter of minutes. At the time of tis tragedy, there were many reports saying passengers on the crashing planes were in a hostile situation before the crash. Men from another country were aboard the plan with knives and took control of the pilot, freighted the passengers and ultimately crashed the planes in an orchestrated manner. These events caused a blood chilling wave across America and pushed the Bush Administration to take action in avoidance of tis ever happening again, this brought on the foundation of what we now know as the TSA in December of 2001, merely three months after the incident. President W. Bush was in office at the time and honorably placed John William Macaw as the Undersecretary of Transportation

Air Travel is one of the main things that was majorly affected by 9/11. One of the main components of air travel that had changed was security. Almost immediately after 9/11 the government issued Aviation and Transportation Security Act which then lead to Transportation Security Administration, TSA for short. Because of this security check became stricter and new procedures were introduced and enforced. Some of these new procedures are as the following: weapons and destructive item checks, only passengers with tickets were allowed to go through and pass security, restriction on liquids and contaminants in luggage, and guidelines passengers must follow.

According to Jason Villemez of the PBS News Hour, there were immediate changes to airport security following 9/11. Within 2 months of the attacks, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act was passed. This law requires that every single bag is screened at airports andrequires that certain procedures are followed at every airport (Swickard). Before 9/11, scissors, baseball bats, darts, and 4-inch-long blades were allowed, but these are now illegal under the ATSA (O’Connor). The Aviation and Transportation Security Act also created the Transportation Security Administration known as the TSA (Tognotti). Each airport had to supply their own security before 9/11, but with the creation of the TSA, the government supplied security for airports (Villemez). Gabi Logan of USA Today found that the increase in security including baggage checks caused a six percent decrease in the number of passengers. Passengers chose not to travel at all or found a different way to get to their destination. While security in airports was significantly increased, 9/11 also affected millions of Americans involved in the war on terror”.

“After 9/11, the airport security became very strict and has over time, tried to become more efficient and practical for travelers.” said Jotterand.

Since the beginning of aviation, aircraft have been used for other intentions besides carrying passengers and cargo. They have been used as weapons of war dating all the way back to the first world war, and the use of aircraft has enlightened the advancement of the aviation. “Throughout the history of aviation, the greatest progress in flight has been made during time when either war or the threat of war was present” (Millspaugh, et al., 2008, p. 33). However, the war we face today has been triggered by the deliberate use of aircraft to cause death, destruction, and mayhem.

September 11, 2001 was an unforgettable day when many people lost there lives and sadly, airport security failed at three different airports. Airport security is a big deal all across the country and we depend on the use of the security for the safety of our own lives along with the others around us. There were many attacks throughout history that helped the airport to see what there weaknesses were, which helps strengthen their current security systems. 9/11 was a big impact on the world and caused grief to many families, but all that grief could have been avoided if they were caught in the airport! Airport security went from relaxed to strict very quickly. There were many changes in the security before 9/11, during 9/11, and after

Airport security before the attacks was minimal, which is why the attack was able to orchestrated successfully. Airlines hired their own agents to screen passengers. These employees were described as having “poor training due to unattractive wages and benefits which resulted in the hiring of an unskilled, inexperienced labor force” (Taylor). Carry-ons were not extensively searched as they are today, and many threats including knives, guns and explosives made it past security onto passenger-carrying aircraft. Instead of the modern day Advanced Imaging Technology screening machines that can detect a variety of possible threats, airports used to use simpler metal detectors (TSA.gov).

America was not a complete mess with orphaned children and cows roaming around like in The Crucible however, there were still transformations from before to after the mass hysteria of 9/11. A short term effect caused by mass hysteria were hate crimes towards people of the Islamic faith. According to the FBI, anti-Islamic hate crimes spiked by 1,600 percent with 481 incidents during 2001. Another major change was the increase in airport security. A month after 9/11 the Transport Security Administration, also known as the TSA, was founded. The TSA made the following rules to create traveling by plane more safe: more specific ID is required, shoes must be removed at checkpoint, all baggage must be screened, no liquids above 3.4 ounces are allowed past the checkpoint, and enhanced pat downs. Immigration is another long term change that occurred after 9/11. In fear of other terrorist attacks the funding for immigration was increased, many criminals were removed, and regular police officers were turned into immigration officers. Although many of the precautions taken were reasonable, some were

Flying out or in of the country or even within has become more challenging since the 9/11 attacks. It takes more time to get through security which makes for a much earlier arrival time for those flying. Most airlines require an arrival two hours prior to their departure time. Many Americans have stopped flying altogether because of the hassle of airport security and out of fear. Before the attacks, airport security was more relaxed. Basic security measures were in place, but it was much different than today. Before the attacks, security screenings were set in place by the private companies, many which were outsourced to different security companies. Passengers were allowed to bring certain size blades, scissors, baseball bats and even sewing needles. All of these items have since been banned as a result of the attacks. Since the attacks, the Transportation Security Administration was created and the security screenings are now regulated by the federal government. Through TSA, passengers bags are checked for banned items, they screened for suspicious behavior, the explosive detection system was implemented, and the full body scanner is now used to check passengers. According to Rick Seaney, “Our security ought to stop anything these days, stringent as it is: We've gone from the metal detectors of the 1970s to post-9/11 body scans and enhanced pat downs. Cockpit doors are now fortified, and the sky

Since the attacks happened on September 11th, airlines and airports have added major security changes and rules to ensure the protection of people around the world. According to business insider.com “Some of the rule changes included a banning of knives on flights, no more curbside check-in, and reinforced cockpit doors; Security costs today are $7.4 billion annually.” Prior to 9/11, those who were hired by airlines were to act like the security machines that are used today in airports. Unfortunately, the people who were hired were often unable to detect various threats on passengers and luggage. These threats could have included: knives, bombs, guns, alcohol, and many more dangerous threats.

We as people examine the impact of post-9/11 airport security measures on air travel in the U.S. Using five years of data on passenger volume, we evaluate the effects of the implementation of baggage screening and the federalization of passenger screening on the demand for air travel. These two congressionally mandated measures are the most visible changes in airport security following the 9/11 attacks. Exploiting the phased introduction of security measures across airports, we find that baggage screening reduced passenger volume by about five percent on all flights, and by about eight percent on flights departing from

There has been drastic changes to airline and airport security since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Immediately following the attacks, security measures were improved in an attempt to prevent any such attacks from occurring in the future and these measures are still being continuously refined today. Commencing instantly subsequent the terror attacks were armed air marshals, reinforced aircraft cockpit doors were designed, and training with flight crews. New government agencies have been implemented, no-fly lists have come to have much more importance, and “known traveler” programs have been implemented throughout the years since 9/11. All of these increased security measures aim to make air travel safer.

On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked an act of terrorism on America. Out of the four plane hijacked, two of them hit the world trade center. This historic event lead to change on international flights in and out of the country. However, opponents try and argue that better security would not have prevented this hijacking. Although this could be true, taking steps upgrade security at airports could prevent future acts of terror.

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011 prompted the world to reevaluate and drastically modify airport and airline security. “Four targets had been chosen, all iconic American buildings that would send a clear message of the depth of their hatred for the United States. All four planes crashed, killing all on board—terrorists, crew members, and passengers, along with hundreds who were killed inside the structures, on the ground, and the men and women who ran into collapsing buildings in an effort to try and save others” (Smutz 1). As Jason Villemez said “the decade after the 9/11 attacks reshaped many facets of life in America” (Villemez 1). Before the attacks, people did not think that large scale hostility towards innocent people in

The September 11th attacks have had a profound effect on American history. Often referred to as “9/11”, these attacks were comprised of a group of organized terrorists known as Al-Qaeda. This extreme Islamic group assaulted several landmarks in New York City, Washington D.C, and the state of Pennsylvania. In New York City, two airliner jets were hijacked with passengers aboard and slammed into the World Trade Center. “The next attack resulted in a plane colliding into the Pentagon, government building; the last attack was in Pennsylvania when a plane crashed into a field. In total, 3,000 people died on September 11th, 2001” (History.com Staff). The September 11th-attacks have affected airport security by the new training of flight attendants, the formation of the Transportation Security Administration and new technical advances to keep up with increased terror threats.