Airline security

In your opinion, are flights safer when due to tighter restrictions on the contents of carry on luggage? Is there less of a chance of hijacking when passengers are not allowed to carry weapons (guns, knives, shanks, box cutters, etc...) on board?

I have flown since the attacks, and security was much tigher than it was before. I don't think it was sufficient to catch anyone with a plan from smuggling something on board though(Esp. a knife, a gun would be tough). I think that the danger of such a thing happening again is much smaller, however, because although security may be lax, each of those flights has 50-300 pissed off Americans on it that aren't going to listen to a guy with a gillete mach 3. Did I feel safe flying? Yes. But it was because I knew that if it came down to it, we weren't going to be sitting around scared wondering what was going to happen.

Are tighter restrictions on carry on items an effective deterrent to hijacking?


I guess the logic behind the regulations is that it's more difficult to forcefully take control of a plane without any sort of weapon. This kind of makes sense if the regulations are strictly enforced. There is a big downside risk to the policy though. If anyone happens to smuggle an implement on board (i.e. a box cutter), they have an incredible amount of leverage over the unarmed, defenseless passengers.


My opinion is that these regulations are extremely costly to enforce and are of little deterrent value.

Especially if the terrorist happens to be the pilot.

Oh, yeah, sorry I missed your point. Allowing passengers to carry guns on planes is of no value because discharging a normal round on a plane can cause depressurization of the cabin; the bullet can pierce the frame of the plane. The risk is too much greater than the deterrant value. Air marshalls use special ammunition because of this. I guess if your gun was loaded with hollow points and you didn't miss, it would be ok, but do I trust the average person this much? No. Other implements may be a deterrant, but how many honest passengers actually board a plane armed with a combat knife or something of the sort? If people were actually going to do this, then I guess it would be ok. Banning these items is of little value though as you stated above. Since we assume that a hijacker will find a way to get a weapon aboard, it would only help to have passengers have their razors in their carryons, etc... The expense and inconvienance caused by "heighted airport security" provides little if any extra safety to passengers. I concur.

I agree. The reinforced cockpit doors, air-marshals, and armed pilots (e.g., with tasers) are sufficient deterrent to hijackings IMO. While the government and airlines go through all this expense to confiscate granny's tweezers (and make a show of it), little is being done to prevent terrorists from blowing up planes with bombs in checked baggage. Our airlines screen checked baggage on international flights but not domestic flights!

"Is there less of a chance of hijacking when passengers are not allowed to carry weapons (guns, knives, shanks, box cutters, etc...) on board?"


I really think you have 2 choices - a) everyone with a gun knive boxcutter etc. or b)no one with a gun knive boxcutter etc.


b)would be better

unfortunately a is easy to achieve b is impossible. so now which is better.