Terror Attacks That Reshaped Aviation Security

Following a recent attempted attack on a Flydubai flight to Israel, the article reviews significant events that have shaped aviation security protocols worldwide, particularly in Israel. The Israeli approach to aviation security was born in 1968 when El Al Flight 426 was hijacked en route from Rome to Algeria by three armed terrorists. This incident led Israel to implement armed security personnel on its flights.

Another pivotal event was the 1972 Lod Airport massacre, where terrorists disguised as tourists opened fire on passengers collecting their luggage after an Air France flight, killing 26 people. This led to the development of Israel's unique security methods, including passenger questioning and the "Did you pack it yourself?" protocol, credited with preventing subsequent attacks on Israeli aviation.

The 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed all 259 people on board due to a bomb in the cargo hold, highlighted the danger posed by checked baggage. This resulted in stringent checks for all luggage loaded onto aircraft globally.

The September 11, 2001 attacks, which claimed nearly 3,000 lives, led to significantly enhanced security measures worldwide, including stricter screening on domestic flights and the requirement for passengers to remain seated and buckled during the final half-hour of flights. In Israel, cockpit doors have also been locked since then.

Further security changes were prompted by the attempted bombing of a transatlantic flight by Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber," in late 2001, leading many countries to require passengers to remove and screen their shoes. The 2002 Mombasa attack, where shoulder-fired missiles were aimed at an Arkia flight, spurred the development of Israel's "Sky Shield" missile defense system for aircraft. A 2006 plot by Al-Qaeda to detonate liquid explosives hidden in drink bottles was thwarted, leading to the ban on carrying liquids on flights. The 2015 suicide of a Germanwings pilot, who locked himself alone in the cockpit, resulted in the "two-person rule" for cockpit access and procedures for opening the door from the outside.

The article concludes by noting that the recent incident raises a new security challenge: how to address a threat when the potential attacker is a member of the flight crew itself.