The horrific events of September 11 stunned all of us. We, the families of the Syracuse students murdered in 1988 by Libyan agents over Lockerbie, Scotland, were badly shaken. We have some idea of what the families of the September 11 victims are going through. Our hearts and prayers go out to them.
      Part of the reason for the terrorists’ success in 1988 was the lack of any real security on Pan Am. Since then, we have pressed for better aviation security. A reason for the terrorists’ success in September was the lack of any effective security on United and American Airlines.
      The security activity performed at most of our airports before September 11 was perfunctory—done only because it’s required by regulations. It wasn’t done to actually provide security. For example, friends of mine passing through the San Francisco airport were told their bags would be subject to more thorough inspection and they were directed to the CTX machine, a device that creates three-dimensional X-ray images. The machine operator then asked them which two of their four bags they would like to have X-rayed! The motions are there, but security surely is not.

      What passes for security at most airports in this country is a hodgepodge of measures that were enacted to counteract various threats over the years. The measures put in place after September 11 clearly reflect that. Cars are not allowed to park near terminal buildings, because someone exploded a car bomb in front of LaGuardia airport in 1972. Is this a threat today? I don’t think so.

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