Aviation and Transportation Act of 2001


We all know the events that took place on September 11th, 2001 all too well. Not only did it mark the first time in civil aviation's history that the FAA halted all air traffic, it drove the development of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001 to be signed just over 2 months. The Aviation and Transportation Security Act established the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) as a part of the Department of Transportation and it would later fall under the Department of Homeland Security. This drove aviation security to be a federal manner, rather than an airport and airline responsibility as it once was. The Transportation Security Act strengthened passenger and luggage screening protocols, placed federal standards on the hiring and training of the security personnel, increased the training and awareness of in-flight security, drastically increased the number of air marshals in civil aviation, and strengthened the communication between various federal agencies. (TSA, 2001) The "no fly list" idea was further developed and more religiously used. The effects were even felt in the general aviation world as fight schools were required to enhance background checks for foreign nationals.


I believe that this legislative act affects the customer's travel experience more than any other. Of course anyone that has traveled by air in the last 20 years has seen these measures in place. The x-rays, millimeter scanners, magnetometers, increased presence of security personnel, and screening measures all play a part in keeping travelers safe, even if some of them are annoying to passengers. Though there have been complaints regarding political and ethnic profiling, most Americans have accepted the provisions and understand that the measures are all there in the name of safety.

Aviation and transportation security act, [S. 1447]TSA.gov (n.d.). bill. Retrieved October 16, 2021, from https://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files/aviation_and_transportation_security_act_atsa_public_law_107_1771.pdf.

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