Davey Boyd

The following is a guest post by Frequent Flyer Credit Cards, a travel website for travellers wanting to earn points on airline programs such as Qantas Frequent Flyer, Singapore Airlines Krisflyer and Virgin Blue Velocity.

Flying used to be so much easier and safer. As long as you had your ticket, got to the airport on time, and didn’t run into any bad weather, air travel was relatively straight forward.

In the last decade however, things have changed, and changed dramatically – mostly thanks to Islamic terrorists and their associated threat to the airline industry. On the run up to 9/11 nine years on from that horrible day, we’re speaking out about how things have gotten more difficult for the 100’s of millions of passengers on their way to somewhere around the world.

Whether you are a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, or are secular, it’s hard to deny that when it comes to modern flight security, the majority of the inconvenient procedures we must encounter when traveling the world over are due in large part to the activities of (ed. murderous) Islamic terrorists.

Inhospitable Atmosphere
Beyond the fact that you may be screened and questioned intensely while making your way through the airport, there are other attributes of the current airport environment that may make your feel as if you’re an Islamic terrorist yourself even if you aren’t. The inhospitable atmosphere found in airports can leave you keeping a watchful eye on your fellow travelers, restricting the comments or jokes you might make, and running to a security guard to report an unattended bag that may have been set down by a mother tending to her child. The terrorists have even ruined the chance for kids to go into airplane cockpits to meet the pilots and get their free pilot’s wings during a flight.

Removing Shoes
As if we don’t have enough to deal with getting through security – getting all metal items off our person, putting bags and purses into bins, shedding jackets or bulky clothing, removing laptops from bags, etc. – we now have to take our shoes off as well. And if you’re trying to accomplish this feat while dealing with a small child or children, good luck!  While Islamic terrorists might be concealing explosive devises within their footwear, or maybe even under a burka, the vast majority of other faiths have little more to hide than a possible foot odor problem or a few holes in their socks.

Toiletries & Liquids
At first, not being able to pack liquids and similar toiletry items in your carry on bags was an inconvenience, but now it can cost you money. Since airlines are buckling down and looking for new revenue sources by way of baggage fees, not being able to pack toiletries is becoming more than a minor nuisance. With checked bag fees often running $20 and up, having to check a bag because you brought liquid toiletries with you, can hurt your wallet as well as be troublesome.

Early Arrival Requirements
Now, rather than getting to the airport an hour before your flight, and still getting to your gate with 45-minutes to spare, it’s recommended you arrive at least two hours in advance of your scheduled departure. You may need that time to get checked in, go through the pre-screening check of identification and boarding pass, and then make your way through security. After you get through all that, if you have the time or energy, you might be able to sit down, put your shoes back on and collect your thoughts before boarding your flight.

Meeting Your People
It used to be so nice when you came home from a long trip or extended vacation to find family members or friends awaiting you at your gate. Well, thanks to the terrorists and their murderous methods of proving a point, meeting up with these people at the airport can be like searching for needles in a haystack. They must either park and search for you at the luggage claim area or circle the airport transportation area waiting for you to emerge.