9/11 has had remarkable changes in the aviation industry in the U.S. owing to the reintroduction of processes and safeguards geared towards improving air security against criminals. Assessment for possible explosives and detonators is often a severe target for the security checks, lest it be another 9/11. Before this event, passengers had the opportunity to bid farewell to their loved ones at the main gate of the plane, something that has since changed. Additionally, the long wait in security lines with passengers required to remove any liquid from the luggage carried was not the case and has become a reality following the increased vigilance witnessed in the American Airlines industry. The attack was a direct threat to the country, which had utilized commercial airlines to crash in the World Trade Center; thus, this was seen as the weak link in the security of the U.S. against external threats, which then required effective control. Therefore, the primary rationale of the paper will be to assess the changes in air travel in the U.S. that resulted from the events of 9/11.
Remarkably, the security screening procedures changed, with American travelers subjected to stringent checks before onboarding. The Homeland Security Department was integrated as part of the Border Control Agency, relying on strict security guidelines as central to the issuance of visas(Cornwell & Roberts, 2010). This did not jeopardize air travel within the U.S. airspace or from overseas, but it saw airlines having to embark on expensive alternatives to align with this requirement. The time for boarding was increased, with lines often witnessed in airports to ensure that all passenger details were accounted for promptly(Josephs, 2021). The Aviation and Transportation Security Act clearly defined the products that could be brought to planes with sharp objects, such as razor blades, banned from the airlines. The result has been positive since there has been no hijacking of any aircraft on American soil, meaning that air travel is safer than ever. Today, more people are traveling via air for short commutations, indicating that 9/11 increased vigilance that has abated potential threats that may otherwise have been witnessed in the airlines.
Secondly, 9/11 shifted the demand toward retraining flight attendants to meet the challenges of potential threats. The self-defense mandate from the flight attendants was more necessary as this was considered a way of safeguarding against possible intruders. This aspect escalated more during the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak due to increased unruly passengers(Sentner, 2023). This was a means to subdue or restrain any attacker advancing, and this would give an edge to improving the security of the passengers. Since the passengers’ safety and security in the airlines had become the priority of American society, the event made it possible for the government, airline workers, and the population, in general, to appreciate and advocate for adopting this aspect. Despite this not gaining more prominence, its necessity became more prominent in addition to the first Aid skills required.
The other significant change was the perception change in the American population, aided by the volume of support they accorded to the aviation industry. After the attack, most Americans held the view that the safety of the country against terrorism for both the Congress and the President. In response, all the security protocols initiated by the airline industry were well accepted by the populations who effectively modeled their flight lives to align with the demands of security protocol. This has had a remarkable positive impact on the adoption, reshaping people’s behavior. Currently, these systems have become a way of life for most people who, through this event, were able to appreciate the need for vigilance. Therefore, air travel in the U.S. is now one of the most secure forms of transport.
Similarly, 9/11 contributed to creating Homeland Security, whose role has been to unify security efforts within the U.S. The evolving challenges of terrorism and violence threats still exist in society, but the department has shown its commitment to making all the populations safe. In this regard, it is essential to assess the company’s efforts toward addressing the challenges faced by foreign terrorist organizations that may have an edge in compromising the airline industry, which covers different jurisdictions (United States. Department of Homeland Security, 2019). The DHS has incorporated a multi-tiered approach to beefing security in aviation, ensuring that potential threats are controlled long before they can access the American border. The primary counterterrorism functions of the department remain screening and vetting, efforts that have helped boost the airline industry’s security. The 9/11 attacks have created a mechanism for sharing information, ensuring that passengers or stakeholders in the airline industry can share any impending threat to government agencies to be worked upon immediately(Pekoske, 2021). The violent extremist groups within America can now be successfully screened and affirm their viability to use the airlines before they can be allowed to board. Therefore, this initiative has worked towards making U.S. air transport safer because of the absence of terrorist attacks on American soil after 9/11.
Besides, 9/11 has maximized transport-related transport-related intelligence targeting the aviation, freight rail, mass transit, pipeline, maritime, and highway carriers. Air transport is linked to another form of transport; thus, a danger in maritime transport may be translated to the airline industry if necessary vigilance is not taken (Neiman & Swagel, 2009). This has improved the vetting system for the crews and the passengers in each transport domain, ensuring that no potential threat is witnessed in the airline industry. This has been improved by the detection of anomalies and assessment of different risk factors in such domains by examining various possibilities that can subject the system to an inherent risk. The gaps that had previously existed in the information of travelers or goods have now been effectively captured in the passenger and cargo information. Thus, safety is more beefed than it has ever been.
There has also been an improvement in the safety of the flight paths in the skies, where planes are constantly monitored from every stage. All the activities of the pilots while in the helicopter are transmitted as signals to the ground, ensuring that the flight manuals are given due consideration. At every point in time, the traffic controllers in the U.S. airspace are on the lookout to determine the location and the path taken by the plane, assessing whether it is within the stipulated plan. Uncrewed passenger planes are also directed across a set of guidelines by the military to ensure that if there is a terrorism threat, there is no harm to other planes or the populations in general. These safeguards have made the U.S. airline industry safer since there is always an extra eye following how an aircraft is flown.
There have been numerous technological advancements to respond to the procedures required to secure the transportation systems of the U.S. This has contributed to the evolution of airport security with new systems under development to detect threats that may be available in the industry. These improvements have been made on the existing existing equipment more sophisticatedly than before the possibilities posed by 9/11(Pekoske, 2021). Computer tomography is more prevalent and is a high-quality imaging system with 360-degree rotation capability. It has effectively been used in analyzing the content of the bags with limited manual checks, ensuring that no prohibited substance ever makes its way to the plane. Credential authentication technology is also instrumental in the identification of passenger documents, automating the processes so that falsehoods that the manual system may overlook are worked on effectively. This system also allowed for a faster plane onboarding process while safeguarding the security protocols. Finally, an advanced imaging technology is used to screen passengers for both metallic and non-metallic threats. More complex threats have been made easy since the detection systems have improved. 9/11 played a central role in enhancing research for the scope of function of these technologies, thus ensuring that cargo safety is guaranteed.
The attack has also enhanced strategic partnerships between American Airlines and other global jurisdictions. People travel from various global destinations to the U.S.; thus, safeguarding against threats from the source is more critical for airlines. The U.S. stipulates the correct guidelines and systems that an airport has to achieve before its planes can directly fly into the U.S. airspace. Therefore, they have been at the forefront of providing the necessary support and security guidelines that must be followed for the airport to achieve the desired international status. These robust partnerships have been formulated in various destinations, resulting in zero threats for passenger planes heading to the U.S. (Pekoske, 2021). Aviation security advisories experts, governments, and manufacturers have been part of this plan, and thus have shown a remarkable improvement in security efforts. The cadre of passenger support specialists has also grown remarkably from such engagements, providing real-time support to passengers and their luggage. One principle is the luggage left unattended in the airport, where the security personnel have to safeguard against possible explosives and initiate the necessary vigilance for the airport. This approach has been effective in weeding out terrorists from using airports outside the U.S. as a potential route for advancing their terrorism agenda.
Similarly, training has become a part of the flight attendants’ and pilots’ jobs to imbue them with the necessary response to any potential threat. Pilots are more vigilant than before, and the captain has more responsibility in detaining individuals who can pose a danger (U.S. Department of Transportation, n.d.). Pilots can always choose to make an emergency landing or take any necessary step should it become apparent that the threat within the plane can escalate to unprecedented levels and pose the entire plane with some risks. The events of 9/11 have airline officials more on the look to avert possible dangers caused by suspecting passengers. Overall, these have ensured that the safety of the passengers is guaranteed.
Conclusion
9/11 events in the U.S. were unfortunate but have proved to be an instrumental aspect in reshaping the safety guidelines of the American aviation industry. It exposed the gaps in the American airline industry, which the terrorists had capitalized on to advance their agenda on American soil. The aviation industry had to incorporate stringent measures to ensure such an attack does not happen again. The underlying transformations included improved security protocols, with screening and identification of passenger documents becoming more prevalent. Besides, a focus on crew training has been adopted to respond to the threats posed by passengers to safeguard themselves and other passengers at large. The Homeland Security Department also became prevalent after this event, ensuring that airlines are protected from potential terrorist threats before reaching the U.S. border and from within. Transport-related intelligence has also improved, ensuring coordination between the air and other forms of transport in boosting security. Technological advancements have also been propagated by this attack, aiming to enhance the safeguards for screening and luggage checks.
Coordination between the U.S. and other governments and stakeholders in the airline business has also been improved, setting a security standard on all planes bound towards the U.S. Monitoring planes in the sky from ground control is also a safeguard for the aircraft. Ideally, there has not been any notable terrorist event on U.S. soil since 9/11, which is an indication that the layer of safeguards has played an essential role in making flight safer than before. This is not only in the U.S. but also replicated in other parts where terrorism does not impact air transport.
References
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Josephs, L. (2021, September 11). How the September 11 terrorist attacks forever changed air travel. CNBC; CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/11/how-9/11-forever-changed-air-travel.html
Neiman, B., & Swagel, P. (2009). The impact of post-9/11 visa policies on travel to the United States. Journal of International Economics, 78(1), 86-99.
Pekoske, D. (2021, September 29). 20 Years After 9/11: The State of the Transportation Security Administration | Transportation Security Administration. Www.tsa.gov. https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/testimony/2021/09/29/20-years-after-911-state-transportation-security-administration
Sentner, I. (2023, August 20). Air travel has gotten more violent. Flight attendants want training to fight back. POLITICO. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/20/flight-attendants-training-union-00111864
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United States. Department of Homeland Security. (2019). Department of Homeland Security Strategic Framework for countering terrorism and targeted violence. Homeland Security.
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