Airport security was handled by private contractors before Sept. Travelers passed through metal detectors and friends and family could accompany them to the gate. Airport passenger screenings for weapons or firearms that were federally-mandated in were aimed at thwarting hijackings, which were far more common in the s and early s. Airlines told passengers to arrive 15 to 30 minutes earlier than usual for the new screenings, according to a January article in the New York Times.
Fast-forward to and little had changed. The knives and boxcutters that the hijackers brought on board on Sept. After the attacks, in November , then-President George W. Bush signed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, which created the Transportation Security Administration, handing passenger screening over to federal employees.
It also added more Federal Air Marshals. Passengers were then prohibited from bringing knives, razor blades and other sharp objects in the cabin. It amazed me that no one exploited it in the two decades prior to that. A hijacking hasn't occurred on U. Security threats have changed, and so have screening procedures. Foiled plots like the "shoe bomber" attempt forces most travelers to remove their shoes at checkpoints.
Liquids and gels, with the exception of small containers, aren't allowed in carry-on bags after British officials stopped a terror plot to bring liquid explosives on flights in Travelers that opt to pay for pre-screening services like TSA's PreCheck undergo a background check and can bypass some of the checkpoint screening procedures. TSA agents at airports last year caught 3, firearms, double the rate of Eight pilots and 25 flight attendants were working the four flights that were hijacked.
Some of his friends were crew members on Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pa. Sara Nelson, international president of the union, which represents some 50, cabin crew members at more than a dozen airlines, said she and a colleague, when they returned to flying later in September , placed their hands around their necks during takeoff so that potential hijackers wouldn't slit their throats "and they would get our hands instead.
Go To See related sites about Travel Note: Pages will open in a new browser window. Search CNN. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. CNN on AvantGo desktop news ticker more services. All flights stopped nationwide.
The FAA halted all U. Four flights lost; on board. Read statements issued by:. After a near month of closure, President Bush concluded that with new and enhanced security measures, DCA could safely reopen.
As September 11, unfolded, all I could do was focus on what I could control — the safe evacuation of DCA and whatever support we could lend to emergency responders at the Pentagon.
But as days, weeks, and months passed, and we returned to the new normal of air travel in the twenty-first century, I had room to reflect on the trauma of that day — both on a national scale but also on a personal level as an American, father, aviator, and human being who watched tragedy unfold before his eyes. Today, I join with the staff of the National Air and Space Museum and people around the world in remembering and honoring those who lost their lives on September 11th.
Skip to main content. Embed from Getty Images In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, I had a job to do, so I did not have time to process what was happening on an emotional level. View the discussion thread. Thank you. You have successfully signed up for our newsletter. Error message Sorry, there was a problem.
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