I did work for numerous airlines at Laguardia and JFK.
The one thing I know for sure, from all of my experience, is that there is nothing that will stop a determined attacker. NOTHING.
I've seen countless millions wasted on security over the years. I have come in to rework systems that were merely months old, that cost who knows how much, that were totally uselsss. The best I could ever do, even with those systems, is make it a little harder to attack this target. It is IMPOSSIBLE to make any target completely safe.
I guess my point is that there is no way to insure the safety of air travelers or anyone, anywhere for that matter. And that is why I am a MAJOR advocate of self defense. While I might make it harder for a bad guy to get into your offices, it is only by your being properly armed, that you might have a chance of surviving if he does get in.
The idea of passengers carrying arms on planes needs to be looked at, seriously. While allowing just anyone to walk on with any firearm is probably not a good idea, there must be some way to allow certain qualified individuals with certain approved type arms and ammo to be able to carry on board.
Employers in high risk type businesses should encourage their employees to carry their arms in the office. People should be encouraged to carry arms on trains, buses, and in areas of public assembly.
I remember waiting in line to go to the observation deck in the WTC last winter. I remember the signs saying "No Firearms Allowed" and I remember thinking, "Man, why not advertise that we're all defenseless here?"
I have never been back, and now, ironically, I may never be able to go back, even if I wanted to.
I have a question for all that read this now. Why, if we are at war, and why, if the enemy is among us, in hiding, waiting to strike at any moment, are we not being encouraged to arm ourselves? Why? Why? Why?
Why does our government insist on our being defenseless even in light of the reality that we will be attacked again, in some form? Why?
The answer is amazingly simple. It's because both the left and the right intend to have THEIR gooberments dominate us,and they are both afraid of a armed population. This is truer the higher you go up the political food chain.
BTW,most of us that want to be armed already are. This is what makes the US a MUCH higher risk target area for terrorists than foreign countries. All the terrorists have to worry about in Europe are specialized police units. Here they have to worry about the old fat man or the skinny young woman standing in line behind them at the counter blowing their heads off if they get too frogy.
BTW,Part-2. One problem I see with a new Sky Marshall program is international flights. It would probably take some serious White House and FAA leaning on the gooberments of countries like France,Germany,and England to get them to allow a airplane to land in their countries with a armed civilian aboard. Then again,if they get this worked out my new motto will be "Have gun,will travel".
Somehow, I expect that any Islamic terrorists still lurking here would likely choose murder and mayhem methods rather more efficient than going out on the street and shooting. Like chemical or biological or bomb.