Research Paper with Works Cited Page

Introduction

As more and more people travel using airlines there is a stronger need for security to make sure passengers are safe. In recent years Airport Security especially in the United States has shifted from being very relaxed needing to only walk through a metal detector, and has changed to the highly stressful and time consuming operations of airport security we have today. There have been many changes made to supposedly improve security such as innovations to planes, how much liquid you can carry through security, the scanners that are now placed at security check points, a greater amount of security, and who regulates airport security. Have these changes made airports and air travel safer or have the changes simply provided travelers with a false sense of security, because of people becoming smarter than the system learning how to bypass these changes?

A little over a decade ago airport security consisted of a short stroll through a metal detector to apprehend someone who may be trying to carry a gun onto a flight. The only struggle was to remove your belt and spare change that may be in your pockets (3). Then the tragic event of September 11, 2001 occured where four United States commercial jets were hijacked crashing into important United States structures. This event provided the country with a wake up call to change Airport Security regulations from a relaxed procedure to the stressful time consuming operations America's airports now follow. The government in response to the hijackings changed who would be in charge of airport security. Before 9-11 airport security was the responsibility of the airport itself. Now after 9-11 the government is in charge of airport security. This branch of the government is called Transportation Security Administration (TSA) which is a branch of The Department of Homeland Security. TSA is comprised of nearly 50,000 security officers, inspectors, air marshals and managers who protect the nation's transportation systems by screening for explosives at checkpoints in airports, inspecting rail cars, patrolling subways with law enforcement partners, and working to make all modes of transportation safe (6). This increase in security personnel took place progressively over the years after the event of 9-11. Security is TSA's highest priority. Nearly 2 million passengers are screened everyday by TSA's highly trained workforce that works to ensure the safety of the traveling public (6). Along with an increase in security personnel there was an increase in such things as scanners for luggage and body. At TSA security check points one must wait in line for a varied amount of time. Going through security may take minutes or multiple hours. This is why many travelers are frustrated and stressed over the process and regulations of current security. They say travelers should arrive at the airport two hours before the destination time of their flights because of the possibility of long waits at security check points. There are two types of scanners located at TSA checkpoints. These include luggage and body scanners. The luggage scanners scan carry on luggage, shoes, and articles of clothing such as jackets for banned items. The body scanners include millimeter wave and X-ray scanners. There are 300 millimeter-wave scanners currently in U.S Airports compared to 250 X-Ray scanners (7). Another change that took place is how much liquid can be brought through security. Liquids, aerosols and gels, in limited quantities, are safe to bring aboard an aircraft. Each traveler is allowed one bag in order to limit the total volume of liquids, aerosols and gels. Here are the guidelines liquid carry on: 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less (by volume); 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3.4 ounce (100ml) container size is a security measure (8). This change has been noticed by the travelers and can be frustrating if check luggage is lost during the course of a flight. More changes that took place were not in the airport but rather on the actual planes. These changes to the plane were directed to prevent the ability for hijackers to gain access to the cockpit of the plane. For those who do not know what the cock pit is. The cockpit is where the pilot and possibly a co pilot are in control of the plane and are in contact with local airport watchtowers to confirm their location, weather conditions, and plane emergencies. During the hijackings of 9-11 air traffic controllers lost contact with the pilots, because the hijackers took over the cockpit which lead to radio silence from the flights. To avoid this from happening again cockpits are now reinforced with bullet proof doors. Cockpit doors have changed from simply providing pilots with a quiet work environment to being strictly designed to protect the pilot from attackers (5). The most recent change is to allow airline pilots to carry a firearm in cockpit. Capt. Fred Bates, an American Airlines pilot said as many as a third of U.S. pilots, or about 30,000, could be carrying weapons on the flight deck in five years (9).

Now that you know some of the changes that have taken place in the past decade in regards to airport security. The paper will now look into if these changes have made airports and air travel safer or are  the changes simply provided travelers with a false sense of security, because of people becoming smarter than the system learning how to bypass these changes. New security procedures have provided more protection to travelers. With the many scanners and TSA agents on the look out for banned substances airport security definitely has become safer when compared to fifteen years ago. The public wants the airport experience to be predictable, hassle-free and airtight and for it to keep us 100% safe. But 100% safety is unattainable. TSA's mission is to prevent a catastrophic attack on the transportation system, not to ensure that every single passenger can avoid harm while traveling (2). TSA's job is to manage risk, not to enforce regulations. Terrorists are adaptive, and we need to be adaptive, too. Regulations are always playing catch-up, because terrorists design their plots around the loopholes (2). These few statements show that the airport security system is there to catch large safety concerns and sometimes dangerous items can make it through security. When looking at how people are adaptive and will find ways around the system the list of banned items has created an "Easter-egg hunt" mentality at the TSA. Worse, banning certain items gives terrorists a complete list of what not to use in their next attack. Lighters are banned? The next attack will use an electric trigger (2). In order to counter attack new ways hijackers will try to pass through security the TSA has to use their imagination to prevent future ideas hijackers have for getting past security. Kip Hawley a former head of TSA said "I think you have to be aware of all the possibilities and have security that is flexible and smart," he said, "even to find plots you can't imagine." (4). U.S. officials told ABC News they believe fortified cockpit doors and armed pilots and air marshals make another hijacking highly unlikely (4) because it presents fear in hijackers because armed pilots and air marshals identity are confidential and are random. It factors in that what if thought which will help prevent hijackings.

Conclusion

My research question for this paper was have these changes made airports and air travel safer or have the changes simply provided travelers with a false sense of security, because of people becoming smarter than the system learning how to bypass these changes? In response after researching this topic my conclusion is that the new airport security does provide travelers with a false sense of security. With nearly 2 million passengers screened everyday by TSA's workforce (6) and hijackers adapting to regulations airport security can not be one hundred percent effective. That is why our security presents itself as a large force that will stop all forms of harm to travelers, but in reality it is not possible to be perfect and mistakes happen. Therefore airport security provides us with a false sense of security when traveling. However airport security is on the right track and with time will keep improving preventing future hijacking threats.

Works Cited

Popular sources

1)  Mann, Charles C. "Smoke Screening." Vanity Fair., 20 Dec. 2011. Web. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/12/tsa-insanity-201112.

2) Hawley, Kip. "Why Airport Security Is Broken And How to Fix It." The Wall Street Journal., 15 Apr. 2012. Web. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303815404577335783535660546.

3) Seaney, Rick. "9 Ways Security Has Changed Since 9/11." FareCompare., 7 Sept. 2011. Web. http://www.farecompare.com/ask-rick/9-ways-security-has-changed-since-911/.

4) Ross, Brian, Patel, Avna, and Cole, Matthew "10 Years Later: 9/11 Security Then and Now." ABC News. ABC News Network, 8 Sept. 2011. Web. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/10-years-911-security-now/story?id=14466068.

5) Collins, Dan. "Bulletproof Cockpit Doors A Reality." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 4 Apr. 2003. Web. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bulletproof-cockpit-doors-a-reality/>.

6) "Transportation Security Administration." Transportation Security Administration. The Department of Homeland Security, n.d. Web. <http://www.tsa.gov/careers>.

7) Groeger, Lena. "Scanning the Scanners: A Side to Side Comparison." Top Stories RSS. N.p., 28 Dec. 2011. Web. <http://www.propublica.org/special/scanning-the-scanners-a-side-by-side-comparison>.

8) "Transportation Security Administration." Transportation Security Administration. The Department of Homeland Security, 30 Sept. 2013. Web. <http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/3-1-1-carry-ons>.

9) "Pilots Now Ready to Carry Guns in Cockpit." ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. <http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=125224>.

Book sources
 
10) Sweet, Kathleen M. Aviation and Airport Security: Terrorism and Safety Concerns. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, 2004. Print.

Research Paper-Introduction

Introduction

As more and more people travel using airlines there is a stronger need for security to make sure passengers are safe. In recent years Airport Security especially in the United States has shifted from being very relaxed needing to only walk through a metal detector, and has changed to the highly stressful and time consuming operations of airport security we have today. There have been many changes made to supposedly improve security such as innovations to planes, how much liquid you can carry through security, the scanners that are now placed at security check points, a greater amount of security, and who regulates airport security. Have these changes made airports and air travel safer or have the changes simply provided travelers with a false sense of security, because of people becoming smarter than the system learning how to bypass these changes?