The American Public has been filled with 'wimps' for some time. This 'wimps' or mindless masses have affected airline travel in many ways,

First:
The US has been filled with unrationally paranoid wimps for many years. All the 'Joe Vacationers' who are so afraid to fly that the government created the TSA to placate them.

Oh my we can't let you take that 2 inch pen knife on the plane but the 6 inch Mont Blanc fountain pen that can be driven through a board is perfectly alright. The mindless masses, however, are appeased.

The risk of a plane being flown into a building is not lessened by the TSA and the advanced (read "ridiculusly ineffective")security. It was lessened as soon as word got out that idiots were flying planes into buildings. Even the hijackers on 9/11 knew that. But 'Joe Vacation' stays scared. So now they want us to check in 2 hours in advance to ensure I get through their 'insecurity checks'.

Second:
Many companies have stopped most routine travel. Was this a response to terrorist threats? No, this was in response to an economic reality. The economy crashed in the last year of the "Clinton" administration not Bushleagues fault but he gets the blame anyway. Not really Teflon Willies fault either. This again can be blamed on the mindless masses who overbought in a panic for Y2K and Overbought internet stocks on fear of being left behind.

Other rants left out as I was getting mindless.