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Articles on Airport security

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The hijacking of U.S. aircraft – like the three hijacked in 1970 by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – made it impossible for American policymakers to ignore the threat. Bettmann/Getty Images

D.B. Cooper, the changing nature of hijackings and the foundation for today’s airport security

From 1968 to 1974, US airlines experienced 130 hijackings. But it was Cooper’s hijacking-as-extortion plot that captured the public’s imagination – and inspired a copycat crime wave.
Vaccine passports may soon be required for travelling amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Like biometrics, they’ll likely become a permanent part of our daily lives — and there’s barely been any debate about them. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Why we need to seriously reconsider COVID-19 vaccination passports

COVID-19 vaccine passports are being presented as a relatively simple technological solution to our current travel woes. But meaningful public debate about their merits and problems is essential.
Just because an airport looks impressive doesn’t mean it functions well. AP Photo/Emrah Gurel

In ‘airports of the future’, everything new is old again

Big lines and long distances to walk have plagued airports since the dawn of the jet age. New designs and technologies haven’t helped much, even if they’re visually impressive.
Random ID checks announced last week by the Turnbull government will erode trust between police and the public. AAP/Ellen Smith

Why random identification checks at airports are a bad idea

We need to ensure we do not sacrifice our liberty in the pursuit of a goal that is at best ineffective and at worst counterproductive.
Australia has been cognisant of the challenges aviation security poses. AAP/Britta Campion

Just how safe are Australia’s airports?

That Australia has not suffered a successful terrorist attack on its aviation industry is testament to the resilience of our security system.

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