Travel Security And How It Has Changed.
June 8, 2018 by Staff
Filed under Money/Business, Politics, Weekly Columns
(Akiit.com) Unfortunately, there have been a large number of terrorist attacks that have occurred in this millennium. Of course, 9/11 was one of the worst terrorist attacks of all time, and since then trains and buses have been targeted in numerous countries across the world. In light of the attacks that have happened on travel systems, we thought we would take a look at how travel security has changed as a consequence.
Airport security
There is only one place to begin, and this is with airport security. After the attack on the Twin Towers, there were dramatic changes to airport and air travel security, and rightly so. We are going to take a look at these changes in further detail. Let’s start by taking a look at some of the changes during flight. Cockpit doors have been 
reinforced so that they are now locked during flights. There are also no longer any welcome committees. Only ticketed travelers are permitted into the gated area. This was not the case previously at all airports. If you have traveled recently, you will have noticed that the pat-downs have been enhanced considerably. Extra screening is also sometimes administered.
In addition to this, when you go through the security checks there are a number of added steps that have now been introduced. If you are wearing a jacket, you will be asked to remove this prior to screening. You also need to remove all of your toiletries from your bag and place it in a clear plastic bag. Moreover, laptops must also be removed so they can go through the screening separately. There has also been a ban on liquids that are in containers bigger than 3.4 ounces. In most cases, you will also be asked to remove your shoes as well. This is a huge change when you compare it with 2001 when airport security simply consisted of walking passed a metal detector.
Train security
There have also been a number of improvements with regards to train security. This is after a number of attacks across the world. Homeland Security compliant trash cans is a good example of this. These trash cans, which are also used in other public areas that can be considered targets, mean that the police force can see exactly what is inside of a rubbish can, ensuring there are no bombs and harmful devices. You may have also noticed that there is a more intensive police force effort around train stations, especially busy ones. In Europe, the Eurostar has implemented security changes that are very much similar to the procedure you need to go through if you were to travel by airplane. It is also worth noting that at transport centers and stations there is an increased presence of police offers wearing plain clothes too.
It is also worth noting that there have been security improvements across the board with regards to intelligence. Separating the ‘known’ travelers is an aim for every country. Law enforcement and border protection have put together lists of individuals on their radar that may warrant more scrutiny. Countries now share more information than ever before in an aim to help one and other. There are many different reasons why someone may be on the terror list, from frequent visits and radicalism to their associations. While it is hard to watch everyone, it does mean that those who need it are paid more attention.
As you can see, there have been many changes that have been made after the terror attacks that have occurred around the world. It is horrible that we have to learn after such events, but it is worth remembering that a lot of attacks have been prevented over the years too. Let’s hope we do not see any other attacks going forward.
Staff Writer; Harry Ford