I think that most people are forgetting that ANY search without due cause is a violation of our civil liberties.
I used to fly... a LOT. I have 350,000 frequent flyer miles to prove it. I traveled every week for work and it was a relatively hassle-free routine.
After 9/11 I was stopped for a search EVERY SINGLE TRIP. I'm in my late 20's. I have long, dark hair and I fly first class (free upgrades from having America West Gold Elite status). I guess I "fit the profile". Whether you are a 60 year old granny, a pregnant woman or a long haired twenty-something is NOT JUST CAUSE to have your body searched. The American public DID NOT sign up for random OR discriminatory invasive searches.
The reason 9/11 happened is NOT because weapons were brought on board, it is because the POLICY was flawed. The policy used to be that the pilot was to cooperate with a terrorist in the hopes that a compromise could be made and the plane could be safely landed. The terrorists took advantage of this flawed policy and we paid a terrible price.
Do you think that any pilot or passenger these days would allow someone to take control of the cockpit? Box cutters, nail clippers or scissors, I'm gonna jump on the bastard and stop him. I bet the passenger next to me would gladly kick his teeth in while I held him down.
These days, I avoid flying unless I REALLY need to. I've been home a total of 3 weeks this year. The way things are going, the only way the feds will stop harassing the public at aiports is when those airports are closed.
I feel badly that the airlines are in such trouble. It's not really their fault. The fault lies with the government's invasion of our privacy. People don't avoid flying because they fear their plane will be hijacked by terrorists, they don't fly because they fear the terrorism imposed on them by their own government.
It's a damn shame. Once again the innocent are paying the price. Innocent travelers are subjected to harrassment and airline employees are losing their jobs. The terrorists didn't achieve their goal when they took down the towers, they achieved their goal when we gave up our freedom.
-Mike...