Accurate, comprehensive, thought-provoking beyond belief. A long overdue inside look at a layered aviation security system plagued with misconception and vulnerabilities...the reference 'bible' for anyone looking to identify the flaws in the aviation security system.--Captain Stephen A. Luckey, Chairman, National Security Committee, Air Line Pilots Assoc. Int'lThe terrorist' devastating attacks of September 11, 2001, did not succeed because they were so good, but because the state of the U.S. aviation security system was so bad. Thomas lays out the cost of complacency and shows how remaining holes in aviation security can be plugged.--David Evans, Editor, Air Safety Week...packed with facts about the state of security or insecurity in aviation...I would strongly encourage everyone involved with the aviation industry to read this book.--Fred Ragsdale, Program Director, Training, National Terrorism Preparedness Institute, St. Petersburg CollegeThe events of September 11 compelled the American public to look at air travel as much more than merely another way of getting from point A to point B. An industry that was previously viewed as a routine component of modern transport is now seen as both a vital national asset and a vulnerable security risk. In this probing critique of aviation security since 9/11, Andrew R. Thomas, a globally recognized aviation security expert, examines the recent overhaul of the national aviation security system.Despite the complete federal takeover of aviation security in November 2001, Thomas notes many continuing problems, including: millions of passenger bags that are still not screened or matched; the unresolved problem of air rage and unruly passenger behavior; the forgotten chasm of air cargo, which remains largely unchecked due to inadequate resources; and lax standards, the hiring of high-risk employees, and the failure to secure critical areas in many of our nation's airports.Thomas also considers many of the proposed solutions to these vulnerabilities: biometrics, profiling, air marshals, bomb-detection devices, and smart technology that links reservations systems to private and government databases. How practical are these proposals? Will they work? What will they cost? How much time will be needed to implement any or all of them? In light of the restructuring of airline security, what new roles will be played by the airline industry, government, airports, and the Transportation Security Administration? Thomas's thorough analysis and command of all the facts create an enlightening overview of the airline security dilemma and its numerous formidable challenges.Finally, he considers the future, outlining a strategic approach for government and industry to meet new and existing threats while continuing to serve the public in an efficient manner.Andrew R. Thomas (Brecksville, OH), coauthor of Air Rage: Crisis in the Skies, is a global business expert, aviation security analyst, Founding Editor of the Journal of Transportation Security, Editor of the 3 Volume Set Aviation Security Management in the 21st Century, and author. He is a frequent contributor to the Fox News Channel and has appeared on more than 150 television and radio programs across the country, including The O'Reilly Factor, On the Record with Greta van Susteren, and Court TV. He currently serves on the graduate faculties of Cleveland State University and Myers University. For more information, see www.AviationInsecurity.com.

Soft Landing: Airline Industry Strategy, Service, and Safety covers the immediate past, present, and future of the airline industry and its effects on consumers and the economy. Aviation receives a disproportionate amount of news coverage in the popular press—not to mention chatter at cocktail parties and workplaces around the world. And why not? Aviation represents a sector of the U.S economy, for example, exceeded in size only by the real estate, healthcare, and automotive industries. Furthermore, hundreds of millions of people fly each year, including 80 million Americans. So we all have airline stories—experiencing a delay and losing a business deal, spending a night or three in the airport, dealing with ornery airline personnel, losing money on airline stocks, or being involved in a near miss. (Or, as George Carlin more accurately put it, a “near hit.”) But things might be on the upswing. Knocked to its knees by 9/11 and a decade of falling revenue and rising losses, the industry’s “flying cheap” strategy and organizational efficiencies based partly on outsourcing have appear to have helped passengers and profitability return. As this book explains, we can look forward to better technology and infrastructure, speedier—and easier—travel, more effective and less invasive security measures, and more jobs in the air and on the ground. Turbulence is always a possibility. Rising fuel costs, economic uncertainty, and future terror attacks could cause tumult once again. Plus, airline companies intend to charge us extra for everything from the weight of our own bodies to use of the bathroom. But as the industry has discovered, we’ll put up with that—and more—if we can make it to our destinations with bags intact and a smaller dent in our wallets. Soft Landing will: Sort out the promise and perils facing the airlines Analyze and articulate the potential impact of changes in the aviation industry on passengers, airports, governments, the global economy, and the airlines themselves Give airline passengers worldwide an idea of what’s ahead when it comes to airline service, security, and technology