Due to increasing instances of crimes and terrorist attacks at airports and airlines our airport security has become a major concern. Smuggling of weapons, drugs and explosives still are undercover through numerous airport checkpoints. The question arises that where are the flaws? Why security checks at airports fails even with the best security system? Here we will try to find out the answers to these questions and discuss our current airport security management system and some unnoticed flaws of it.
Our Current Airport Security Management System
As we know TSA (Transport Security Administration) regulates and maintains security checks at the airports. But you would be shocked knowing that even with TSA our airport security is not worth the cost even in the best of circumstances. Still many security lapses are taken place at major airports around the world. For stopping criminal activities at airports that can cause damage to innocent lives TSA (Transport Security Administration) should work harder and think smarter to make airports security strong and tough for criminals. Have a look at minor flaws of TSA that could be a reason of big terrorist attack or deadly incidents.
TSA Should Know that Real Threats are Always Not Travelers
It is not important that only airline’s traveler pose risks of terrorism. There are many other people who visit airport for many reasons, and could also be a reason to harm people. There are people who are not travelers but come airport to perform only illegal activities. There must be protocol to check these people too. TSA should keep the record of his each visitor. It may possible that terrorist may be already living in your country and is not a traveler. If we talk about only travelers, about 99% of travelers are just travelers who have no objection to getting through security checks. They buy a cup of coffee, cold drink, and some duty-free whiskey. They quietly drink and use Wi-Fi from airport restaurants. These people pose no threat to anyone. There are only a few terrorist like needles exists among them in a haystack. TSA should pay special attention to these criminals and keep an eye on each visitor no matter a person is a traveler or not.
TSA Security Officers Pay All Energy to Luggage Screening
Airport security officers are too busy in checking luggage and they are paying all their energy to luggage screening. They only check luggage but not check the person behind the luggage. How a security guard would be sure that he will not found something fishy into the luggage? Hiding things in luggage is so easy thing to do for criminals. TSA should also make a protocol to screen people along with their luggage in real time and must be a check of human intelligence team to spy passenger’s behavior and actions.
TSA Should Invest More on Human Intelligence Because Real Threats are Detected by Intelligence, not in Screening
If you look back to recent terrorist attacks at airports you may find that the bombs on airports were detected because of human intelligence, not because of screening. TSA should increase its intelligence staff along with metal or body scanning machines. A Machine could give errors but human intelligence can’t be fooled. Human intelligence is intelligent enough to examine each traveler’s activities, behavior, facial expressions, and actions. They work hard to monitor and spy each traveler before sending them for a fly. If even a little portion of what is spent on screening was invested in the human intelligence services we would take a real step toward making airport or our airlines safer and more pleasant.
Security Checking Machines Do Not Detect All Explosives
Security checking machines at the front gate of airports are not 100% reliable. Even Israel airport authority expressed doubt about the capabilities of machines. It is tested that security checking machines cannot detect all explosives and could give errors sometimes.
Increased Times at Security Check Points is an Opportunity to Criminals
TSA Checks are a time-consuming process and it is an opportunity to criminals who are there to perform deadly incidents. Long lines at security checking gates are not secured. TSA should learn to get passengers through different security checks quickly and with less hassle. TSA should also provide security to long lines standing for their turn to pass a security check.