A Decade of Reflection: Travel Changes
By: WROC-TV
Updated: September 13, 2011
Remember the days when you could meet your loved one at the gate at the airport, or bring liquids in your carry-on bag?
The way we travel by air is nothing like before September 11th, whether it's taking your shoes off in the security line or packing liquid containers under three ounces.
It's all an effort to keep you safe.
Federal Security Director John McCaffrey is responsible for security at airports in the Greater Rochester region.
"There has to be the same level of focus of security at the smallest airports at the very largest airport because once you are in the system you can travel to any airport in this nation and this world," Walsh said.
Taxpayers pay for this. It comes in ticket fees and taxes.
The safety hasn't come without criticism. Some see the security measures as too invasive, whether it's body scanners or pat downs.
McCaffrey says the new technology is helping change that, and TSA is listening more.
"The passsengers are our customers and that's the way they should be treated when somebody doesn't get treated correctly, important that we see how we can fix it," he said.
The way we travel by air is nothing like before September 11th, whether it's taking your shoes off in the security line or packing liquid containers under three ounces.
It's all an effort to keep you safe.
Federal Security Director John McCaffrey is responsible for security at airports in the Greater Rochester region.
"Since 9/11 we have put many many layers of security in place," said McCaffrey.
He says pre-9/11, cockpit doors weren't locked, unticketed passengers could go through security and security rules were different at each airport. Today, every airport follows the same TSA guidelines.
Now the Rochester airport employs K9 and other protection officers, and armed, undercover marshals fly on some planes.
Airport director Susan Walsh says the layout of the airport is drastically different. 80% of the airport used to be open to the public, now it's just 20%.
"There has to be the same level of focus of security at the smallest airports at the very largest airport because once you are in the system you can travel to any airport in this nation and this world," Walsh said.
Taxpayers pay for this. It comes in ticket fees and taxes.
The safety hasn't come without criticism. Some see the security measures as too invasive, whether it's body scanners or pat downs.
McCaffrey says the new technology is helping change that, and TSA is listening more.
"The passsengers are our customers and that's the way they should be treated when somebody doesn't get treated correctly, important that we see how we can fix it," he said.
