i vaguely remember being a kid and going there on a lark and watching the planes. now it’s austere and cruel and cold, cops everywhere, plexiglass and line ropes
I remember my first time flying in the eighties, couldn’t believe the amount of quality flange in the airport. I didn’t wanna travel any other way. All that changed with rise of the budget airlines, starting with Ryanair. Now every swamp donkey and bushpig can afford to fly, diluting the experience to a tragic degree.
Y’all bored and looking to be pissed. Airports have calmed the fuck down in the past few years. You aren’t taking off belts and shoes most the time and it’s a fairly quick process.
TSA pre is even easier. I’ve spent maybe 10 minutes total, if that, from my last two international flight getting through.
Pre check is amazing. The biggest worry I ever have about dealing with security lines anymore is that everyone else will sign up for it and it’ll get just as bad as the regular line.
Once at SFO the precheck line was as long if not longer than the regular security line, but it still moved significantly faster. Don’t panic too much if the precheck line is long! Not having to unload electronics out of bags and such seems to make it quick even if there’s high volume.
Last few times I’ve been through (European) airports it’s been waaaay more chill than it has been for decades. Yeah there are armed soldiers, but they’re just wandering about and it’s more reassuring than anything. Security is way more lax, they’re relaxing the stupid rules about liquids and stuff, and the staff are friendly if a bit over-professional.
Always love the duty free bit too, it’s like a really overpriced shopping mall but with caviar and Patek Philippe :) Splash on some free sample aftershave then off for a 7 euro pint of IPA, and sit and literally watch the world go by. What’s not to like?!?
Frankfurt Airport is very good when it comes to security screening. They even have those fancy new X-Ray machines where you don’t need to remove your electronic devices from your carry-on and such. The last few times I flew from there I got off the bus in front of the terminal and sat at my gate in less than 20 minutes.
Tldw, but what about deterrent effects? Not sure how they could ever be measured.
TSA isn’t even the one making the airport feel like a militarized zone. Most agents aren’t allowed to be armed nor have any more power than regular citizens. They are the same as a bouncer of a club. I don’t know about the USA but in most countries it’s either the police or the military providing the protection.
Airport and flying safety has improved significantly over the past few years. Plane hijackings used to be way more common pre 9-11. The reason why 9-11 worked was because there was a protocol in place on how to deal with hijackings. And that was to follow the demands of the hijackers. Because this would safe the most lives.
Today the protocol has changed. Pilots will never open the cockpit door, no matter what the hijackers are threatening or actually doing to passengers. And ironically this also means that the TSA does a better job than most assume. Because the main priority is to ensure hijackers can’t get into the cockpit. Bringing any equipment onto a plane that could help tearing down that door is almost certainly going to be detected by the screening.