Effects of 9/11 on Aviation

[JoeChoe]

Hi everyone, apologies if this is the wrong place to post. If someone could direct me to an appropriate place that would be great.

I am a Year 11 student conducting research on my question which is "To what extent did the September 11 attacks affect modern-day aviation?"

I would like to interview people who worked within airport security prior and afterwards to the September 11 attacks and gain their expert knowledge about;
1. what security measurements were in place prior to the attacks,
2. what security measurements were implemented and/or improved as a result of the attacks,
3. and their honest opinion of the true effectiveness of the post-September 11 changes.

Please feel free to add any additional information that may help me resolve my research question.

Thank you all very much.

[kenparry]

You will not get much on the security front. Such matters are not open to public discussion.

[Chris Scott]

You will not get much on the security front. Such matters are not open to public discussion.

Indeed. However, I don't think it is any secret that, prior to 2001-09-11, most measures addressing in-flight hijacking scenarios were predicated on the assumption that the hijacker(s) intended to survive - at least until the aircraft had been landed safely at the first location of their choice. And that they were likely to wish to communicate demands to the authorities of the state they were targeting.

[DaveReidUK]

Sounds an interesting project. Good luck with it.

I would like to interview people who worked within airport security prior and afterwards to the September 11 attacks

You don't say what part(s) of the world you are interested in - do you mean specifically the USA ?

[nonsense]

I don't work in airport security.
My family emigrated from the UK to Australia in 1968 when I was 5yo. We made three trips back to the UK in 1969, 1971 and 1973.
In 1968, I can remember that security was essentially non-existent; in the early 1970s, certainly by 1973 hijackings had become a regular phenomenon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_hijackings#1970s) and security such as metal detectors had been introduced. Over time the character of threats changed, from hijackings, taking an aircraft and those on board hostage to make political demands, during the 1970s, to efforts to destroy aircraft in flight, eg: Lockerbie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_103).

While suicide attacks had occurred before, what changed with 9/11 was the recognition that the hijacked aircraft itself could be used as a weapon to cause far more death and destruction that just one plane and its passengers. Suddenly the stakes were far higher.

Has security since 2001 been effective? By and large, yes - but your task is to find evidence. Wikipedia isn't evidence, but it can often lead you to more reliable sources. Have a look at how the frequency, character, and locations of hijackings has changed over the years from the late 60s to the present in the list at my first link. Remember too that there is no end to change, no final perfect security solution. Threats become more sophisticated, so responses must also continue to evolve. For example in 2006 major changes affecting carrying liquids on board were introduced in response to new threats (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_transatlantic_aircraft_plot_security_reaction).

You might also like to look into the success of the Israelis in preventing hijackings and bombings on El Al, both before and after 2001; they use a much more sophisticated and targeted approach to security than the blunt "security theatre" seen elsewhere.

Without writing your essay for you, hopefully this has given you some ideas to think about.

[Non-Driver]

As others have said non-public info won't be divulged, even in an interview. Some other things that are public knowledge:

Reinforced & locked flight deck doors became mandatory - which has also led to other unintended consequences like the German Wings A320 suicide crash.
Liquids control makes daily working life at an airport a challenge (although this was as a result of the subsequent shoe bomber in the same cause rather than 9/11 itself)
Consideration of anything being a potential weapon e.g. cutlery


There were also some significant short/medium term economic effects after the shock - depressed traffic led to all sorts of things including the end of supersonic commercial travel, airline failures, depressed asset values etc. One effect turned into a positive for some though - depressed order books for manufacturers generated great opportunities for growing, cash rich LCC's to renew their fleets at scale and very cheap prices which (certainly in Europe coupled with deregulation) leading to the meteoric rise of Ryanair and easyJet.

[HZ123]

Having worked in aviation security from the 70-05 some of the comments made are merely those that the flying public wish to read and thus feel secure. One consideration is that for the last decade or so those wishing to kill and maim have resorted to easier methods where there is less chance of detection and the target has no protection. Having experienced behind the scenes airport security prior to 9-11 US security was poor and complacent towards a perceived threat. I am not convinced that the end product is much better today. The screening equipment has changed very little since the late 90's because of costs, operation and ultimate responsibility, besides passengers want speed of check-in and boarding. You only have to look at the security areas at T5 to see that the operation has been shoe honed into the smallest area possible, as it makes no money.

The travelling public's perception has changed because the majority moan and complain about delays at security what happened in the past long since forgotten. Most airport authorities self test the security operation and I doubt publish the results and the Government figures seem to suggest a 99% success rate when testing. That I doubt as there is no indication to reveal how,when, and why the tests are conducted. That is if you give notice of an intended test then detection of a device should come as no surprise. Many of the conditions brought in after the outrage have been watered down.

It certainly changed the face of the airlines with the established outfits dropping routes and decreasing the frequency, besides the Americans stopped flying and you can correlate the explosion (no pun intended) in the US cruising market and whereas aviation is no back to where it was plus some, cruising is still growing rapidly.

Should we still be aware of a similar threat - definitely.

[tonytales]

Began working at KIDL (KJFK) back in 1954. Prior to the hijackings, airports were loosely secured. At KLGA, only a low hedge separated you from the end of a runway and you could walk down and around the Pan Am hangars down at the Marine Terminal. In the 1950's at KIDL you could push open the doors from the passenger areas and access the ramp. If someone was there, they might shoo you back inside. It was not unusual for us maintenance folks to be working on an aircraft at the gate and find some stray soul staring up the ladder at you. Then too, in those days they had observation decks for people would go to the airport to see someone off.
The Eastern Air Shuttle running hourly between Boston, New York and Washington was no reservation and ticketless. The pax were supposed to fill out a card with your name and address and give to the agent as you boarded but you would see late arriving pax sprinting down the corridor to the gate, make a slash mark on the card and toss it at the agent who was holding the door open. Agent would close the door and the pushback would start. Need I say, no one had verified ID or frisked them for weapons or looked at their luggage?
I remember the first time (for EAL at KJFK at least) when they instituted hand held weapon detectors. It was on our first B747 San Juan departure of the day and was of course full. They made the announcement that all passengers would be checked with the hand held magnometer. A half dozen elected not to try to board and left. After the aircraft departure, they found several "Saturday Night Specials" (cheap pistols) in the potted plants of the gate area.
The "Fly me to Cuba" hijackings signaled the beginning of the end to the carefree flying experience and of course 9/11 put the final stamp on the process. No more running down the to the gate and going aboard. You have to prove your identity, if you meet certain criteria you may get special attention, you get checked, x-rayed and maybe hand frisked just to get to the gate area.
Airline maintenance techs are challenged for having sharp, pointy tools "and do you need so many?"
I am afraid the Bad Guys in this have won and it is the innocent who must suffer.