Immediately following the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, many United States citizens were afraid to use airplanes as their main mode of transportation and resorted to driving, riding on trains and buses, etc. This is one of the main reasons the strictness in the United States airline system has greatly increased: authorities want to ensure the safety and comfort of its people at all times.
The fact that the attack occurred in the first place also gave the government reason to amp up airline security and surveillance. It has been nearly a decade since the terrorist attack and much has changed in the ways airports operate.
1. Full Body Scanners:
People are randomly chosen to stand in full body scanners which identifies any threats an individual may have on his person, but this also sends lots of UV radiation through a person's body. The person standing in the body scanner receives no protection from the radiation, so while these scanners may be helpful in the short-run, they can ultimately be detrimental to one's general health.
2. Pat-Downs:
In my opinion, full body pat-downs are better than full body scanners because it does not send large amounts of radiation through my system. I do, however, believe that the government takes a risk in doing pat-downs simply because it is a large liability. Should someone accuse an airport worker that he or she was attempting to molest him or her, the airport can be sued for large amounts of money.
As a result, it seems fair to assume that most people feel safe flying on airplanes today. Sadly though, people's Constitutional rights are taken away in return for this safety. While I believe airport security has improved, I also believe that it is necessary to find other ways to identify dangerous personnel using uninvasive and healthy methods.
