Introduction
Hijacking a plane provides criminals with a perfect opportunity to advance their interests using passengers in the hijacked aircraft as their bargaining chips. Indeed, in the past, criminal elements have successfully secured the release of prisoners using this very approach. However, isolated instances of hijackings in the recent past clearly indicate that aircraft hijackers are becoming more daring, brazen, and creative. This text concerns itself with the history of airline hijackings.
Airline Hijackings: An Overview
Aircraft hijacking according to Ciottone (2006) “is defined as the armed takeover of an aircraft.” According to the author, most of the hijackings that took place before the September 11 terror attacks mostly used the unfortunate passengers of a hijacked plane as hostages and the hijacked aircraft as a means of transportation. However, as I have already pointed out in the introductory section, this trend seems to be changing. Indeed, the September terror attacks clearly demonstrated that planes could easily be used as ‘guided missiles’ to bring about widespread destruction. According to Holanda (2009), during “the formative years of passenger flight…the concept of hijacking commercial airliners had not yet occurred to anyone.” As the author further points out, most people viewed airline hijacking as an undertaking full of unnecessary risks. In that regard, most people were convinced that such a high level of risk could not justify the rewards. All this started to change in the 1960s. It is however important to note that although the 1960s saw a sustained increase in cases of hijackings, several other successful aircraft takeover attempts had been made before. The fo...
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...ngs have become bolder, more daring, and brazen. The driving force behind such hijackings is also changing rapidly. Unlike in the early 1960s when most hijackings were used as an extortion tool, terrorists are increasingly viewing airplane hijackings as a path to martyrdom. This presents more complicated challenges for aircraft and airport security officials.
Works Cited
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Holanda, R. (2009). A History of Aviation Safety: Featuring the U.S. Airline System. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.
Kushner, H.W. (2002). Encyclopedia of Terrorism. California: SAGE.
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On September 11, 2001, the Islamic extremist group, al-Qaeda hijacked four american airlines. “Two of the airlines crashed into the world trade center in New York The third plane crashed into the Pentagon outside the world trade center, and the fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania” (9/11 Attacks). They called it a suicide attack against United States, but there are conspiracy theories the the terrorist are still alive. That they stole
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011 prompted the world to reevaluate and drastically modify airport and airline security. “Four targets had been chosen, all iconic American buildings that would send a clear message of the depth of their hatred for the United States. All four planes crashed, killing all on board—terrorists, crew members, and passengers, along with hundreds who were killed inside the structures, on the ground, and the men and women who ran into collapsing buildings in an effort to try and save others” (Smutz 1). As Jason Villemez said “the decade after the 9/11 attacks reshaped many facets of life in America” (Villemez 1). Before the attacks, people did not think that large scale hostility towards innocent people in our country was remotely possible. Ever since that fateful moment, citizens in America are on their toes every day worrying about another attack happening. United States citizens have had to adapt and change in response to this fear of further terrorist assault on our country. One of the ways they have adapted is by changing their means of security concerning airline travel.
PAN AM flight 103, taxied down London’s Heathrow airport at approximately 6:04 P.M., on December, 21st, 1988 en-route to New York City (Rosenburg, 2014). With 243 passengers and 16 crew members, “Clipper 103” as it was identified, had no clue they had roughly 38 minutes to live (Rosenburg, 2014). As the crew approached the oceanic portion of the flight the pilot requested permission from the tower to proceed with their journey over the Atlantic Ocean. This was the last time air traffic control would have verbal contact with the aircraft (Ushynskyi, 2009). A midair explosion sent all 259 people on board to a fiery grave. The remnants of the explosion rained down on the unsuspecting town of Lockerbie, Scotland,
As the 19 hijackers made their way through the three East coast airports, on September 11, 2001, planning on executing the world’s worst terrorist attack in history, they test the U.S airport security. At almost every step along the way, airport security posed no challenge to the 19 terrorist hijackers. Not to their ability to purchase tickets, to pass security checkpoints while carrying knives, and other objects that be used as weapons on them. Not one step of airport security posed as a challenge or threat to the terrorist. If airport security was more advanced and carful as it is now, the hijackers would have never made their way on to the
On September 11th, 2001, four planes were hijacked, two planes hit the twin towers, one hit the pentagon, and one crash-landed in a field in Pennsylvania. Since then the government has been doing everything it can to help with security at airports, in airplanes, and in everyday life. Even though the government has been trying to increase security, terrorists have still been successful. Since 9/11, the government has taken many steps to increase security and decrease terrorism. However, security has increased, while terrorism has not decreased.
Delaware Delaware is a really cool state. I say that because there is not a whole-lot of crime there and for country folks it’s great because there is a lot of cows and pigs, but there are also a lot of cars there too. It was some rivers and creeks land definition and tons of history, but there isn’t very many people there compared to California. Delaware has gained 2 nicknames over the years, The First State and The Diamond State.
As you know, there were four planes hijacked early that morning and among those: two
September 11, a turning point in the United States history. This event caused various negative impacts on the aviation industry. It changed the way airports and airlines organized themselves completely. The effect was so strong that it caused bankruptcies, people to lose their jobs, changes in how flights were made and flew, and security checking’s. This day also created fear and psychological issues on individuals concerning anything to do with flying on an airplane. In other words, this day was a catastrophe in the aviation industry in the US.
As the blood trickled down the flight attendant’s neck, they all prayed that they wouldn’t die. A dark skined man headed toward the front of the plane to claim his next victim. He slowly pressed the cold, red blade of a knife into the pilot’s neck. Many of those who saw screamed. They all knew, then, that they would die. Passengers felt the plane take some wild turns and they realized that they had turned around. Not long after this occurred to four planes, every single passenger died. Terrorists had taken over planes in America. Four planes, nineteen terrorists, and almost 3,000 dead people later, the United States of America has been changed forever.
After World War II there was an excess of aircraft and trained pilots in the United States, which significantly increase in private and commercial flights. An increase in the use of private aircraft and large passenger planes meant an increase in the possibly of aircraft safety incidents. Even though safety measures had been put in place to tend to large number of aircraft in the skies, in late 1950’s there were two unfortunate accidents that finally led to legislation that would be a major change to the world of aviation that affects us even today. The introduction of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 spurred several changes in aviation that eventually led to the creation of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Over the years the men and women that risk their lives by boarding planes under a false identity to protect us have been called many things. The names range from simple, “Sky Marshal” to more complicated “Civil Aviation Security Liaison Officers.” No matter what they have been called through the years one thing has always stayed the same. The United States Federal Air Marshals have always been a group of our finest law enforcement officers that give up the luxury traditional police work to sit next to crying babies and old talkative ladies all day. They do this with one goal in mind, to keep the airways safe for private citizens to enjoy the luxury of travel. “The history of the air marshals is closely rooted with the history of hijackings and bombings targeting commercial aircraft. Some of the bombings and hijackings throughout history had more of an impact than others on Federal Air Marshal tactics, manpower and security procedures. These events and the responses of those in civil aviation and the US government are essential to understand the need for air marshals as a last line of defense.” (Biles, 2013) With the rise of crime in the aviation sector the US government has gone to the Federal Air Marshals more times than not for protection of its citizens. It has not always been easy for them and they have not had the best funding around but as you will see throughout this paper, The US Federal Air Marshals have always answered when called upon.
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“Protecting Ships from Somali Pirates – The Navy vs. Private Security” Ed. Forbes, gCaptain, March 2013. Accessed March 26th, 2014. http://www.forbes.com/sites/gcaptain/2013/03/11/protecting-ships-from-somali-pirates-the-navy-vs-private-security/