Mushrooming Terrorists and Flight Risk

By T.S. Khanna, December 27,2009.

Terrorists are mushrooming around the world. We cannot possibly eliminate the flight risk of terrorism only by enhanced restrictions like closing of bathrooms during the last hour of the flight, not providing blankets or pillows, or by behavior observation by "trained eyes" who frequently make unreliable predictions.

Besides, such actions will continue to deepen the wedge between Muslims and non-Muslims and obstruct the process of moderate, secular minded Muslims wishing to integrate with the society.

Hundred percent security can be attainable only by thorough checking of all passengers. Such a procedure would be costly, time consuming, and an annoying deterrence for decent average potential customers. Such a procedure may also bankrupt the airlines.

To overcome this problem, I would suggest that Airlines around the world

1. Set aside the "politically Incorrect" ideology and take appropriate action for flight security,
2. Firm up and keep updating the "No Fly List",
3. Prepare a " Fly Easy List" of potential customers, regardless of the religion, whose backgrounds are thoroughly checked with their consent. They may then no longer be subjected to thorough checking procedures at the airport. Separate flights may be earmarked for such fliers. This process would reduce the cost of having to thoroughly check all the passengers, enhance security at a lesser cost, provide better services and customer relations for those on the Easy Fly List.

I like to see come back the days when flying was be a pleasure and not a hard undertaking to reach the destination, as it is becoming now.