Newspapers and television are not the only media outlets that serve as a watchdog to issues in society. When dealing with airport security, magazines are just as willing to report on deficiencies in the system. It is fairly surprising, considering that magazines are published less frequently, and thus, run the risk of re-reporting old news. However, this extra time can hurt the airports because it allows for more in-depth of analysis.
Airports certainly have it difficult when facing the media. Since 9/11, air travel has become a significantly high risk concerning national security. It is up to the airports to provide maximum and efficient security screening for all passengers. Unfortunately, this means a high likelihood of customer dissatisfaction. This is where the magazines can step in to report on the struggles of common people trying to get through security to board their next flight. An actual security slip means huge amounts of negative coverage by the media.
When scanning through recent magazine articles, the pieces seem to heavily favor the problems faced by regular airline travelers. Though security breaches do appear in the magazines, they are often relegated to the news sections. Because of the publishing delay, readers are more likely to focus on the features instead of the news tidbits. This helps cut the airports some slack when they’re not being hammered for poor customer service. Given their financial woes, airlines are going to have to accept the reality of increased security measures. Let’s face it, for as long as 9/11 is in the history books there will be bulked up security. Airlines need to emphasize making all other aspects of air travel as easy as possible. Maybe then would we see complimenting magazine article.