Tag: terrorism

Coming full circle after 9/11

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Over my last blog posts, I’ve discussed many of the security measures in place to keep air passengers safe, and the efforts of many domestic airports to keep up with the ever-advancing security technology.  What many people wonder is, are these measures sufficient defense against the evolving threats of home-grown and foreign terrorists?

This website helps frequent travelers to gain information on how to make their hectic travel schedule more manageable.
This website helps frequent travelers to gain information on how to make their hectic travel schedule more manageable.

In my last post, I talked with Kelly, a college student, about how the security measures in place sometimes discourage her from flying.  Although there are some people in the US, and around the world who have no choice but to use air travel to do business.  Many of these men and women travel hundreds of miles in a day and fly multiple times per week.  Although security measures may deter a college student from flying, business people such as these constantly deal with the fear and inconveniences of air travel.

Listen to hear the opinions of one such businessman

podcast interview

Not only do airports endeavor to protect us through the use of new technology and advanced machine, but people also make up part of aviation security teams on airplanes and in airports.  Federal Air Marshals is one such group.  The TSA website says about federal air marshals, “they blend in with passengers and rely on their training, including investigative techniques, criminal terrorist behavior recognition.”  This description gets one to thinking what exactly “criminal terrorist behavior recognition” means? 

I discussed in my first blog post how the September 11th terrorist attacks were the motivating factor behind putting new security measures in place and in my last post, I would like to discuss how after the September 11th attacks, profiling became a widespread issue with many air passengers and in many airports around the world.

Checking and Vetting

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The slogan posted at the top of TSA blog website reads,

“Terrorists evolve.  Threats evolve.  Security must stay ahead.  You play a part.” 

In order to uphold their goal of lowering the risk of air travel, the TSA has implemented new and strengthened former security regulations. 

 

TSA's Layers of Security
TSA's Layers of Security

 

In June 2007, the job of “Document Checker” was created. Trained Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) use black lights and magnifying glasses to check boarding passes and forms of identification, such as driver’s licenses or passports.  These people are stationed at the head of every security checkpoint in every American airport. Since the inception of the program, these TSOs have uncovered “thousands of suspect, illegible or expired documents.”

 
Another new program that the TSA has created is Secure Flight.  A recent TSA press release read, “TSA’s goal is to vet 100 percent of passengers on all domestic commercial flights by early 2010 and 100 percent of passengers on all international commercial flights into, out of, or over the U.S. by the end of 2010.” The airlines can now ask for a passenger’s name, DOB, and gender when making a reservation.  This added information is used to crosscheck your information with international watch lists, such as the No Fly list, in order to prevent any suspect passengers from even getting a flight reservation.

sf_index1 copy

 

While the job of Document Checkers may seem mundane, and has caused you frustration while traveling through an airport, their jobs are actually quite effective in stopping passengers with counterfeit papers. The Secure Flight Program is an up-and-coming process that will hopefully be effective in halting any and all passengers on watch lists from even getting close to an airport.

A turn for the worse or the better?

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      “These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.”  These were the words of President Bush at approximately 8:30 pm on the night of September 11, 2001. This day marked the turning point in our nation’s attention to airport security.  The TSA, with whom we associate airport security measures, was created from the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) passed on November 19, 2001.  This administration is now part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), created in November 2002, which deals with threats to the security of our nation.

September 11, 2001 - Source: AP Photo/Chao Soi Cheong
September 11, 2001 - Source: AP Photo/Chao Soi Cheong

According to the timeline of September 11th, chronicled on CNN.com, the terrorists aboard the four hijacked planes were “armed only with knives.”  With the creation of the TSA, regulations regarding baggage and other security measures have been enacted to better protect airline passengers. These rules have evolved into extremely advanced protocols for monitoring air safety.  One of the first acts of the TSA was to ensure that all checked luggage was screened for explosive materials.  These screening processes have come to include fairly invasive strategies that are hoped to limit the threat of terrorism in the air.
               

                Everyone who has flown in the past year has experienced these inconvenient measures.  We should be asking ourselves… Should I really have to take off my shoes, belt and jacket while going through the metal detector? Does having only 3 oz. of liquids or less really protect me while on a flight? Do heavier screenings for passengers really keep the terrorists off of flights? Are we safer now in-flight than before September 11th?  The government believes the answer to all of these questions is YES!  By examining the safety measures taken to protect air passengers, especially those invoved in international flight, we can see how strong relationships with other countries are paramount to making air travel safe.

Terrorism in the Air

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Throughout the course of the semester I would like to examine the evolving nature of international air travel security as it relates to US foreign policy.  After 9/11, heightened security has become one of the most effective measures against terrorism. Implementing these new restrictions on air travel have afftected US relations with countries and their citizens, espcially those of the Middle East.  I will monitor recent restrictions on air travel from the  Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and evolving technologies involved with air security.  I will also use information published by the government, articles concerning instances of terrorism in the air, and interviews from airline employees and passengers regarding the policies enacted in order to ward off terrorism.

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