“After secured cockpit doors, flight crews that stay in the cockpit and do not surrender control of the plane, and passengers who will resist, 9/11 style attacks will almost certainly not occur again.”

I agree, yet like generals preparing to fight the last war, the primary focus of TSA is to make darn sure no one carries a box cutter on a plane. The core of the screening process is designed to do just that. While they may be doing a good job of finding box cutters, the tunnel vision prevents an open mind to consider what new threats they should be concerned about. TSA needs to “think outside the box”. Unfortunately they cannot cut their way out of the box they’re in, even with the 150 tons of box cutters and nail clippers they have confiscated.

Not to take TSAs’ side, but patting does have one advantage over flashing. I have seen obese people who could hide a large ceramic or carbon fiber knife between two rolls of fat. Neither visual nor WTMD inspection would find it. But then would such an item need to be carried on your person, might it be missed in the carry on?

As for the poster who said I can't think of no (double negative) situation where one would be required to use an airliner for transportation, I look forward to his next Trip Report, “Chicago to Sydney in my Winnebago”.