Airport Security Research Paper

The shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday is another example that random acts of violence are unpredictable as to when they will occur and where they will occur. Last year the terrorist attacks in Brussels showcased how the airport transportation system is still a vulnerable target. While security checkpoints at airports are aimed at preventing additional terrorist attacks from occurring in the sky, terrorist have highlighted the soft target areas like arrival and departure gates. Terrorist prefer transportation systems because there is a high number of casualties, but because of the social, economic and political impact these attacks can cause. Security is difficult because of the large volume of traffic,
Passengers, cargo, and information utilize these systems on a daily basis reaching remote towns and major metropolitan areas While the threat against the transit system is gaining broad recognition, transit systems and railways have long been considered targets by terrorists In the past, warnings of possible terrorist attacks on the ground transportation system, inlcuding railroad trains, brdiges and subways have been issued. Mass transit options like subways, passenger trains and buses are hard to protect and often are packed with people in enclosed spaces which are a tempting target for terrorism. Terrorist use airliners as a target because the passengers are helpless and the attack means more media attention. In addition, these type of attacks cause fear which are the goals of the terrorist. (Kaplan, 2006) The train systems are more vulnerable since millions of people use mass transit systems every day. Unfortunately, there is no certain way to defend buses and trains from terror attacks. Screening methods that are in airports would be difficult to implement in railway or bus stations because of the large number of people. By targeting trains, this could cause an economic disruption.