What responsibility should United and American take for the events of 9/11?

I understand that airport security people take their orders from the airlines. Can these airlines be held liable for breaches?

If they are not, how can we understand the extraordinary security taken by carriers such as El-Al?

How culpable is the FAA for ineffective security at airports?

Revised

[This message has been edited by ETOPS01 (edited 09-12-2001).]

Topic: Are Airlines To Blame for 9/11 Events?

No, the terrorists are responsible for yesterday's events.

I don't think airlines are to blame at this point. Remember that when you point a finger at someone you have 3 pointing back at you.

Once the terrorists' weapons got into the airport, I don't think it is the airlines policy nor is it feasible to pat everyone down going through the gate ramp and then opening and inspecting carry on luggage at the airplane door. If any blame, you could say airport security as holes have been discovered before by undercover news reporters before. However like the drug trade, it is a cat and mouse game and the culprits will learn the new security measures and find loopholes while us innocent passengers suffer.

Sadly, I am disappointed as I had just received my INSPASS and will not even be able to use it at all as it will most likely be abolished. With exception of fares, we can probably say goodbye to deregulation too. There is no separation of airlines and state for the coming weeks as airlines are at the mercy of the FAA and what looks like the government to determine who gets to leave and to where they can fly. Maybe during a slow down following this full stop, we will update air traffic controller equipment.

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"Fly me to the moon and let me earn alot of miles."

Of course the terrorists are to blame.

The main reason for lax security is the American system of shareownership putting extreme implicit pressure on mgmt. to cut costs of any kind to achieve maximum profitability. Sad to say, but we are going to have to give up some efficiency and lower fares to achieve everyone's desire for higher security.

My understanding is that the FAA is the party responsible for establishing security policies and procedures, with the airlines underwriting the costs, and the airports actually implementing the measures. Up until 20 years (or so) ago, no country outside the US had more than one or two airlines, and they were in almost all cases government owned. This situation still exists in many countries today, making the US unique in that two or three parties share responsibility for this mode of transportation. In the next few weeks we'll see and hear various parties pointing fingers and assigning blame, but right now it's time to help the hurt, grieve for lost ones, and reflect on what's truly important in our lives. Speaking for myself, I plan on doing so, including cutting back on some travel, spending more time with the family, (once I get there as I'm still in LA) and not worrying about the small stuff.

I feel that I am to blame as well. More often than not, I had viewed security as a nuisance, a largely unnecessary conflict that interfered with trying to catch flights with as little extra time to spare as possible.

It never helped that the staff at the security checks were clearly being paid on the low end of the scale, and were often seemingly less than well trained, but I nevertheless went along with and participated in the farce.

So am I going to mind being inconvenienced by whatever replacement measures are added? Not by a long shot, even if I, and everyone I know, have to re-learn how to travel.

But this is exactly what they do in India, when I flew Jet Airways from Mumbai to Delhi last month. And then some. It didn't strike me as unreasonable, annoying, or anything other than good plain sense. And it was the airline's employees that did the hand inspection and pat down.

Terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center using a common razor blade.

While security will be severely stepped up and all parties responsible for security will drastically change their behavior as a result, we can hardly hold any of them accountable for failing to stop men with razor blades in their shaving kits.

Terrorists are entirely responsible.

One of the obvious questions which I have not heard a good answer to: How did the terrorists get into the cockpit? Isn't it supposed to be locked from the moment the aircraft pulls away from the gate?

It seems to me that the simple precaution of locking the cockpit will be effective.

I agree wholeheartedly with two comments:
- there is no way to search everybody and prevent any possible weapon from getting on board the aircraft. it is unrealistic and there will constantly be new and better weapons. Even profiling will not prevent well prepared terrorists from getting onto the aircraft with a weapon.

- we are to blame for the situation with security. We push for lower fares. We push for convenience. And we complain when we don't get it. We drive the process.

One of the obvious questions which I have not heard a good answer to: How did the terrorists get into the cockpit? Isn't it supposed to be locked from the moment the aircraft pulls away from the gate?

It seems to me that the simple precaution of locking the cockpit will be effective.

I agree wholeheartedly with two comments:
- there is no way to search everybody and prevent any possible weapon from getting on board the aircraft. it is unrealistic and there will constantly be new and better weapons. Even profiling will not prevent well prepared terrorists from getting onto the aircraft with a weapon.

- we are to blame for the situation with security. We push for lower fares. We push for convenience. And we complain when we don't get it. We drive the process.

One of the obvious questions which I have not heard a good answer to: How did the terrorists get into the cockpit? Isn't it supposed to be locked from the moment the aircraft pulls away from the gate?

It seems to me that the simple precaution of locking the cockpit will be effective.

I agree wholeheartedly with two comments:
- there is no way to search everybody and prevent any possible weapon from getting on board the aircraft. it is unrealistic and there will constantly be new and better weapons. Even profiling will not prevent well prepared terrorists from getting onto the aircraft with a weapon.

- we are to blame for the situation with security. We push for lower fares. We push for convenience. And we complain when we don't get it. We drive the process.

One of the obvious questions which I have not heard a good answer to: How did the terrorists get into the cockpit? Isn't it supposed to be locked from the moment the aircraft pulls away from the gate?

It seems to me that the simple precaution of locking the cockpit will be effective.

I agree wholeheartedly with two comments:
- there is no way to search everybody and prevent any possible weapon from getting on board the aircraft. it is unrealistic and there will constantly be new and better weapons. Even profiling will not prevent well prepared terrorists from getting onto the aircraft with a weapon.

- we are to blame for the situation with security. We push for lower fares. We push for convenience. And we complain when we don't get it. We drive the process.

One of the obvious questions which I have not heard a good answer to: How did the terrorists get into the cockpit? Isn't it supposed to be locked from the moment the aircraft pulls away from the gate?

It seems to me that the simple precaution of locking the cockpit will be effective.

I agree wholeheartedly with two comments:
- there is no way to search everybody and prevent any possible weapon from getting on board the aircraft. it is unrealistic and there will constantly be new and better weapons. Even profiling will not prevent well prepared terrorists from getting onto the aircraft with a weapon.

- we are to blame for the situation with security. We push for lower fares. We push for convenience. And we complain when we don't get it. We drive the process.

One of the obvious questions which I have not heard a good answer to: How did the terrorists get into the cockpit? Isn't it supposed to be locked from the moment the aircraft pulls away from the gate?

It seems to me that the simple precaution of locking the cockpit will be effective.

I agree wholeheartedly with two comments:
- there is no way to search everybody and prevent any possible weapon from getting on board the aircraft. it is unrealistic and there will constantly be new and better weapons. Even profiling will not prevent well prepared terrorists from getting onto the aircraft with a weapon.

- we are to blame for the situation with security. We push for lower fares. We push for convenience. And we complain when we don't get it. We drive the process.