No aspect of life in the United States collectively, was affected more, as a result of 9/11, than the nation’s air transportation system. With the formation of new departments within the Office of Homeland Security such as the Transportation Security Administration and the passage of numerous transportation security laws, transportation and travel in the United States – particularly that of air travel, has been permanently altered, and even hampered in some instances. Changes implemented in the air transportation system as a result of 9/11 have had widespread ramifications. While the goal of the US government, through the creation and implementation of new security policies and procedures regarding the country’s various transportation were meant to increase public safety; however, scholars agree that such changes have to some degree disrupted the free-flow of travel resulting in economic corollary.

Air transportation, arguably, suffered a greater level of change and reform, given the nature of the 9/11 terrorist attack, than any other mode of transportation in the US. Have these changes to airport security, however, helped to make air travel safer from terrorist attacks, or have they simply devastated the airline industry?

Since September 11, 2001 there have been over 28 “attempted” attacks on US based airlines or US airports (McNeill, 2009).   There is no information, however, available to suggest that any of these terror attacks were foiled as a result of enhanced air-travel security measures. Most were foiled by officials of the FBI as a result of intelligence gathering. One terror attack was actually foiled, in part, due to the actions of the passengers. On December 25, 2009 a Nigerian student attempted to blow-up a Northwest Airlines flight inbound from Amsterdam to Detroit, MI (McNeill, 2009).  This information (or lack thereof) would imply to any reasonable person that US airline passengers are still susceptible to terrorist attacks, especially from incoming international flights. In addition, there are reports that in 2006, the federal government tested airport security in various airports around the country by attempting to “sneak through” bomb making materials. In 21 instances, TSA screeners, test swabs and detection machines failed to find or detect these materials, resulting in the allowing of these materials to enter passenger aircrafts (Meyers, 2006). In contrast there are many success stories of TSA screeners finding and confiscating questionable paraphernalia, which could have potentially been the result of terrorist actions otherwise.

As a result of the 9/11 attacks two of the largest companies in the aviation industry would file bankruptcy by the end of 2002. [Congress report] This was mostly due to the drop in ridership as fear and concern of air travel consumed citizens. Additionally, newly implemented security measures caused a degree of inconvenience and time-consumption never before seen in US aviation history [congress report]. Some researchers believe that many of the problems in the aviation industry, now publically visible as a result of the 9/11 attacks existed well before the attacks ever took place. In other words, the lack of ridership was already existent and was not a direct result of 9/11, according to master’s student Allison Di Cesare (Di Cesare, 2006).

There is no doubt the impact the events of 9/11 had on the psyche of the American public, particularly with regard to air transportation.  The use of commercial airliners to conduct the attack specifically forced the United States government to form new departments and implement new security policies and procedures in an attempt to prevent any future incidents on US airlines.  While the above are factual assertions, scholars disagree as to the actual ramifications these policies and procedures had upon the airline industries and whether new security procedures are truly preventing the very thing they were put in place to detect.  While it will be nine years ago this grave on American soil took place, the debates over its impact upon transportation, particularly air travel will continue to rage well into the future.   

References:

Blalock, G., & al., e. (2005, February 23). The Impact of Post 9/11 Airport Security Measures on the Demand for Air Travel. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University.

Di Cesare, A. (2006, May 15). The Impact of 9/11 on Travel.

Ito, H. (2004, February 3). Assessing the Impact of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on U.S. Airline Demand. Rhode Island: Brown University.

McNeill, J. (2009, December 26). Retrieved April 7, 2010, from The Heritage Foundation: http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2009/12/Detroit-Terror-Plot-Makes-28-Plots-Foiled-Since-911

Meyers, L. (2006, March 17). Nightly News With Brian Williams. Retrieved April 2010, from MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11863165/

Spirito, J. e. (2007). Performance Evaluation of the Airport Security; Consequences of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. University of Dartmouth.