Ook said:
I still don't know how to spot a terrorist...I must be missing something.
How about well educated and highly trained
(expensive) individuals who ask questions before you even get to the check-in desk. It's called
profiling.
Unfortunately far too many luvvies think it is just sooooo unpolitically correct.

Also, it would be so much more expensive to do it this way. But hey... as long as we can all fly cheaper who cares!