Airport Security at LAX: Threats, Measures & Reforms

About Los Angeles International Airport

This study examines the security measures and processes at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in the United States. LAX — the IATA airport code by which it is commonly known — is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan region in the country.

The airport is one of the busiest in both the United States and the world, as evidenced by the volume of cargo and passengers it handles annually. In 2014, LAX processed 70,622,212 passengers — the highest figure recorded in the preceding 14 years. The previous peak was 67.3 million passengers in 2000. In 2011, LAX was identified as "the world's busiest origin and destination (O&D) airport," meaning it had the highest number of non-connecting passengers (Lawa.org, 2015). In terms of aircraft movements, it ranks as the third busiest airport in the world. By combined passenger and cargo traffic, LAX is the world's fifth busiest airport, having served more than 70.6 million passengers and 2 million tons of freight and mail in 2014.

Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, security at LAX has been significantly heightened. The enormous volume of passengers and cargo the airport handles on a daily basis makes it a highly strategic target for terrorists. There have been numerous instances of perceived security threats and specific intelligence warnings concerning American airports. Among the major airports in the country, LAX receives particular attention in terms of security.

As recently as April 2015, security at the airport was abruptly increased following reports of possible sabotage threats by ISIS terrorists. As a high-value strategic target, LAX is an attractive objective for terrorist actors, and security arrangements at the airport are therefore treated as a priority (Bleier, 2015).

Current Security Arrangements to Counter Terrorist Threats

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, security across all U.S. airports has been substantially strengthened. Intermittent reports of threats and isolated security breaches continue to surface, and each incident reveals new gaps that necessitate additional protective measures. LAX is no exception to this pattern.

Because airport security details are often closely guarded by relevant agencies, there is limited public information about the precise nature and scope of the measures in place at LAX. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) oversees the airport's entire security framework. As in most major international airports in the United States, multiple layers of security checks are applied when entering the airport (Transportation Security Administration, 2014). Outside and around the perimeter of the airport, there are checkpoints for vehicles. Any vehicle seeking to enter the airport premises is routinely checked and screened before being permitted to proceed.

At the airport gates, a second round of security screening takes place, including verification of a valid ticket. Only passengers holding a ticket and a valid boarding pass are permitted past passenger screening checkpoints. A third layer of checking is conducted after boarding passes are issued and before passengers enter the waiting lounge.

Prohibited items such as knives, blades, and large quantities of perfume are not permitted in hand baggage. Electronic items including laptops and other devices must be powered on at the final security checkpoint inside the airport. A full-body check using metal detectors is performed at this stage, and all hand baggage and carry-on luggage passes through scanning machines designed to detect suspicious items. All checked luggage is screened using explosive detection equipment (Los-angeles-lax.worldairportguides.com, 2015).

In addition, trained sniffer dogs patrol the airport and are deployed when anything suspicious is detected. A large network of security cameras provides virtually complete visual coverage of the airport, and the footage is continuously monitored. Supplementary security personnel and quick-response teams trained to counter terrorist threats are kept on standby at all times.

The airport security system also prohibits curbside vehicle parking, and any unattended vehicle is towed immediately. This measure is designed to prevent the detonation of vehicle-borne explosive devices.

Aviation Security System: Available Measures

The Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA, P.L. 107-71) was enacted in direct response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. The act mandated sweeping changes to the security of passenger airline operations, screening procedures, and related processes, fundamentally altering the approach to aviation security in the United States (Elias, 2009).

Prior to the 9/11 attacks, the importance of aviation security was recognized in the United States but was not treated as a policy priority. That focus shifted following the 9/11 Commission Report, which concluded that the TSA had failed to develop mode-specific plans and an integrated transportation security strategy.

Documents detailing the proposed security measures for airports and aviation are classified as security-sensitive, limiting public discussion of their specifics. Nevertheless, it is known that airport and aviation security planning has been developed using a risk-based methodology to complement the overarching National Infrastructure Protection Plan (Dhs.gov, 2015). Aviation security falls under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security and is formulated and implemented by the TSA. The security plan is designed to deter and prevent terrorist attacks against aviation, and it also outlines the steps required to mitigate damage and expedite recovery in the event of an attack, thereby minimizing the overall impact on the aviation system (Elias, 2009).

The plan encompasses operational security, surveillance and intelligence, threat response, system recovery, and coordination across domestic and international partners, each assigned specific responsibilities within the broader security framework.

U.S. aviation security measures are considered among the most rigorous in the world. Since the emergence of the terrorist threat to aviation, the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security have introduced stricter screening protocols and upgraded the technology used at airports (Dhs.gov, 2015).

The following are the key procedures, technologies, and requirements currently used by the TSA for aviation security:

Shoe removal at security checkpoints: Passengers are required to remove their shoes when passing through security, a measure introduced to counter attempts to conceal explosives in shoe soles — a technique attempted by an Al-Qaeda operative in 2001.

Liquids and gels restriction: No liquids, gels, or certain food items exceeding three ounces may be carried onto a commercial flight. This rule was implemented in August 2006 after British authorities uncovered a plot to smuggle liquid explosives aboard aircraft.

Separate screening of electronics: Passengers are required to remove laptops, video cameras, and other large electronic devices from their bags for separate X-ray screening. This became standard procedure in 2007 as a countermeasure against known terrorist plots.

Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT): Primary and secondary passenger screening is conducted using Advanced Imaging Technology at airports. This measure was introduced following the attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 in 2010 and is considered an effective tool for screening personnel and baggage (www.ustravel.org, 2011).

Enhanced pat-downs: Airport security personnel conduct enhanced passenger pat-downs during secondary and random screening to detect any attempt to smuggle prohibited items or weapons.

Secure Flight Program: The TSA implemented the Secure Flight Program, under which the names of airline passengers are matched against government watch lists. The program was introduced in 2009 and fully enforced by November 2010 (www.ustravel.org, 2011).