Given the perceived level of threat, why would air marshals even be needed? Again like I say, you aren't the audience for the security theater. It is people who'd never think of chasing airline miles. Now, another slant would be "how much security theater could we buy at a very insignificant expenditure?" Lets say we cut the budget for this 95 percent. Could we possibly keep all the casual flyers going just because it looks like we have security? This is what security theater means to me. A lot of activity with no real purpose except to convince the credulous to keep flying.