Without a doubt, these measures that provoke so much annoyance have a positive impact on the security of airports and the sky. Post 9/11 security comes with much pain, but many rewards as well (i.e. over 10 years of safe flight).
Such security measures are, however, constantly revised. For instance, in a study conducted quite recently at Cornell University, two professors examined the impact of such airport security measures on air travel, which included the impact upon airport security personnel and passengers. These two individuals utilized five years of data geared towards analyzing passenger volume and direct effects of the implementation of various post 9/11 rules, such as additional baggage screening regulations and the 'federalization of passenger screening on the demand for air travel.' The authors state,
"These two congressionally mandated measures are the most visible changes in airport security following the & #8230; attacks. Exploiting the phased introduction of security measures across airports, we find that baggage screening reduces passenger volume by about six percent on all flights, and by about nine percent on flights departing from the nations' fifty busiest airports."
Thought the study finds that there is less volume given these new security screening procedures, it also deduces that the reduction is in no way connected with any criminal activity, yet it can have harmful effects on airline business. In other words, because of 9/11 and the hassles that come with screening and despite the protection that these processes may offer, many choose not to travel, leading the airline business to lose billions.
Weaknesses in Aviation Security
It is because of such measures as described above, and such data, that airports constantly revise and improve their measures. One way in which to do so is to look for weaknesses and also look as to how one can improve such processes. According to a working paper on the topic, limited access and screeners are a particular problem. The paper gives the following example with regards to the two topics:
1. "Controls for limiting access to secure areas...
As we reported in May 2000, our special agents used counterfeit law enforcement badges and credential to gain access to secure areas..."
2. "As & #8230; reported in June 2000, testing of screeners shows that significant, long-standing weaknesses-measured by the screeners' abilities to detect threat objects... continue to exist."
Though this study was conducted a short time after the 9-11 attacks, it shows clear missing links in aviation security. And furthermore, though such missing links have since been connected, more studies such as this, analyzing the efficiency of airports, as well as their effectiveness should be undertaken by neutral parties as well as governmental agencies
Progress in Aviation Security and Conclusions
This paper has spoken about how aviation security has impacted airports, from various points-of-view. Though airport security has affected both the airline business as well as passengers and personnel it remains the only way in which the skies could be safe, though tedious, and one should not despair for progress is constantly made upon the issue. For instance, a more recent paper does comment upon the fact that the TSA has made some remedial changes in its policies, including the installation of new screeners, with the hope that in the future, these will become ever-ore efficient.
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