The Effects of 9/11 on the Airline Travel Industry Essay Example

During the attacks of 9/11/2001, hijackers from Al-Qaeda overtook airplanes and attempted to crash them in really important areas of the United States.  They attempted to crash into the Capitol Building, but instead crashed into a Pennsylvanian field.  They successfully crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and the Twin Towers in New York City.  During the investigation of the aftermath of 9/11, it was uncovered that these hijackers were able to walk through the existing airport security without their weapons or their intentions being uncovered. In response to this air attack, the United States government created the Transportation Security Administration (also known as TSA). TSA was enacted as a Federal program two months after the attacks by President George W. Bush. This new federal administration has changed airline travel for the last 20 years. Due to the 9/11 attacks, airports have taken more precaution with security and safety of all the flyers. Airports have tightened their security at the arrival of passengers, the screening of carry-on bags, and the screening of all luggage. This has increased waiting times at TSA checkpoints and increased the time that arriving passengers need to get to airports. Every passenger needs to be careful and think about what is allowed to be brought on the airplane, and their carry-ons. 

Flying before the attacks was very different than it is nowadays.  The security used to be handled by private contractors, and they used metal detectors to look for weapons and many other dangerous objects. This was federally mandated in 1973.(Joseph 2021) Before 9/11, whenever a passenger was getting ready for a flight, their family was able to walk them to the gate and they did not have to leave until the airplane left unless they had somewhere else to be.(AP NEWS 2022) Now, after 9/11, they are no longer allowed to watch their families leave. They are only able to walk them to security and no further unless they are young and flying alone for the first time. Originally ,before 9/11, you only had to be at the airport around 15-30 minutes before the take off time for flights, because the security lines were not as long ,but now due to the new security and the longer waiting lines, everyone has to be at the airports close to 2 hours early just to get their bags checked in, their carry-ons scanned, and to get through security which is known for the long lines.(Joseph 2021) Box cutters and pocket knives used to be allowed as carry-on items, and were not seen as weapons, while on an airplane.(Joseph 2021) Back before 9/11, no one needed an ID or even their boarding pass to get through security or to check in their bags but now all adults and kids a certain age have to take out IDs.(AP NEWS 2022) 

After the attacks, many things were changed in commercial flying. To start things off, all of the commercial flights were halted for several days just in case another hijacker messed up a flight.(Joseph 2021) Airport security lines were hours long, as the security teams were trying desperately to prevent additional attacks. There was a bomb threat that involved shoes, so everyone now has to take thier shoes off just in case people try to sneak in bombs. (AP NEWS 2022) Any type of knife or box cutter or anything like that is now prohibited on airplanes because knives and box cutters are what the hijackers used to take control over the airplanes. (Joseph 2021) Originally people were allowed to bring them on the flights and through security and that's what the hijackers did but now if you bring something like that in, you will be arrested right away, and you won’t be able to get on the airplane.  Airlines lost lots of money due to people being afraid to fly after the 9/11 attacks. Airports lost around $8 billion dollars in the remaining year of 2001. It took everyone, even airports, around 2 years just to get things back to normal, but it wasn't completely normal since new things have been added or changed. (Joseph 2021)

There are a few things airports stopped doing after 9/11. Airports and airplanes stopped serving free meals, if you want food on the airplane you either have to bring it in yourself but you have to make sure it is a dish that doesn’t include liquid or it won’t make it through security, and you will just have to buy it in a little shop inside of the airport after security. (Joseph 2021) After 2006, no liquids were allowed on the airplanes due to a British foiled liquid bomb plan. (Joseph 2021) If you try to bring any liquid that is in a container bigger than 3.4 ounces then you will have to empty the bottle out before you go through security or else you will get in trouble. Everyone has to pay for their luggage due to the extra things that needed to be added to the bags like nail clippers or shampoo and conditioner and so much more.(Joseph 2021) Before the 9/11 attacks no one had to pay for seating, they just needed to get on the airplane and find a spot to sit, but now after 9/11 everyone has to pay just to sit on an airplane for a certain time. (Joseph 2021) 

How effective is the TSA now and has it gotten better after the attacks?  Since the 9/11 attacks, TSA has tried to improve their security and make sure that all of their passengers are safe from any dangers or hijackings. Homeland security says that TSA has missed and is still missing around 96% of all weapons even with the new and updated security. (Calabresi 2015) TSA is trying its hardest to ensure safety for everyone around them. TSA has prevented another hijacking incident since their new security updates, but because they miss around 95% of weapons another hijacking incident could happen at any time or in any place. TSA has been able to federalize over 440 airports or more. There were 19 hijackers that turned 4 Boeing Jetliners, 2 American and 2 United Airlines. 2 of the airplanes crashed into the World Trade Centers, 1 of the airplanes crashed into the Pentagon Office Building, and the last one crashed into a Pennsylvanian Field. Around 3,000 people died and 25,000 non-fatal injuries occurred. Airports all across the world agreed that they should tighten the security so that another hijacking or another 9/11 doesn’t happen again. Thanks to the 9/11 attacks airports have become safer for all passengers, pilots, and everyone else in the airport. “The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) isn’t the only agency aggravating travelers. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the hastily constructed bureaucratic response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has become what some experts call “security theater,” a show of rigorous instepction whose primary function is to make us feel safer. (Weidler 2012) 

The attacks on 9/11 were some of the worst that have ever happened on American soil.  Because this attack was conducted by hijacking airplanes, it was imperative that we adjusted our airport security.  The Transportation Security Administration was enacted by President Bush to ensure that all airports has a security team that met the federal standards for safety. TSA has done a lot of great changes to make airports safer. Keeping people who are not ticketed passengers outside of security helps keep crowds down and keeps fewer threats to watch for.  Having more prohibited items, like no knives and liquids, helps make me feel safer as I board an airplane.  However, TSA still has more work to do.  There needs to be more technological advances in their machinery to do a better job uncovering weapons.  It would also be great if they were more efficient so the lines were not as long. 

Works Cited 

Associated Press News: Breaking News, “How 9/11 Changed Air Travel: More Security, Less Privacy.” AP NEWS, 2022, https://apnews.com/article/how-sept-11-changed-flying-1ce4dc4282fb47a34c0b61ae09a024f4 . 

Calabresi, Massimo. “The TSA and the Price of Security.” Time, Time, 3 Dec. 2015, https://time.com/4134368/tsa-price-of-security/ . 

Josephs, Leslie.. “How the Sept. 11 Terrorist Attacks Forever Changed Air Travel.” CNBC, CNBC, 11 Sept. 2021, https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/11/how-9/11-forever-changed-air-travel.html 

Weidler, Tyler. U.S. National Debate Topic 2012-2013: Transportation Infrastructure. H.W. Wilson, 2012.