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The Future of Air Travel

© Kerri Wood

This week, and for a long time to come, Americans will be thinking about their safety every time they set foot on an airplane. We all think about the potential for pilot error or engine failure when we fly; we know those are risks we take traveling by plane. Until Tuesday, terrorism was not high on the list of fears most travelers dealt with. That has forever changed.

According to a Harris Interactive poll, of more than 4,600 adults, conducted Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, 64% of respondents said they would be afraid to fly on an airplane in the next few days; 37% said they would probably avoid flying for the next few months.

And while only four in 10 vacation travelers, in a new survey by Orlando-based marketing firm Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown, said this week's terrorist attacks were likely to influence their future trips, 68% of those vacationers said they will drive rather than fly whenever possible.

I want to use my column this week to concentrate on the future of airline travel. What new restrictions have already been put in place? What can travelers expect at the airport?

As you probably know, all flights were grounded on Tuesday. Flights have slowly resumed and more stringent security measures have been put in place. On Friday, passengers found long waits due to intense new security measures, including bans on every conceivable weapon - even nail clippers and plastic knives. According to an AP article, at Dallas-Fort Worth International, an American Airlines flight attendant wasn't allowed to board Thursday until security guards confiscated a corkscrew and meat thermometer.

Some of the new security measures found widespread support, including the ban on all knives--even small pocketknives--from flights. But security consultants and scholars who have studied airline safety were less sure about the policy of doing away with steak knives from first-class meal service.

Another restriction includes parking within 300 feet of an airport gate. For smaller airports this restriction may cause parking problems, if the majority of parking is near the entrance.

No longer will you be able to stand by the gate and wave off your kids, or mom as they board the plane. Only passengers with tickets will be allowed past certain checkpoints.

A federal rule put forward by the FAA before Tuesday's attacks would give the agency direct control of screening companies that staff airport checkpoints and would impose tougher standards for training and testing. Currently, each airline is responsible for it’s own security. The rule is expected to take effect later this month.