After the 9/11 attacks, we’ve seen a huge change in the way airports work.
After the 9/11 attacks, we’ve seen a huge change in the way airports work. It took many years, more than ten, for British Airways to start re-recruiting pilots purely because of the attacks back in 2001. Unfortunately, I was too young to remember what airports were like, before 2001.
From what I’ve been told, everything was so much more laid back, making catching a plane seem to have a closer fit to getting a train, to how the flight situation is now.
With the country still suffering from the economy, job cuts are still about – they probably will haunt us indefinitely. There was a time, where flying out somewhere involved a lot of human contact. Booking a flight would involve calling up the airline or going in to see a travel agent, but now, technology has been booming, it’ll probably continue to progress in its uses.
New tech equals happy customers?
Now, we just have to turn on a computer, click a few things and we’re booked onto a flight? Not forgetting that now, it’s seen as being ‘old fashioned,’ to check-in at the airport. It’s all done electronically which is great for the younger generation, whom have been brought up into this. Maybe not so, for those who don’t agree with change, many people I know have complained over the changes made to air travel.
As you’re probably aware, there’s been a lot of campaigning between London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick – as they bid to be the proud owners of a new runway. Heathrow is obviously the biggest airport in the UK—it’s also an international Hub, meaning that they would benefit from the new runway.
One slight problem, Gatwick on the other hand, have low cost carriers such as EasyJet, flying to and from. Which means Gatwick is very successful, now that EasyJet has been crowned as the company which represents Britain the most, seeing as more Brits fly with EasyJet, than the traditional British Airways. Gatwick operates a single runway, so the Airport would benefit greatly from a second one to occupy. It could mean more passengers in and out each year.
More staff, maybe? But I’ve only ever flown from Gatwick, and even security is dominated by brand new state of the art technology. I’m not quite sure how looking at a camera makes a more successful security process. Airport technology is great, it shows just how up to date travelling is, especially as this type of technology is proven to be more successful in safety where hopefully, travellers will feel safer and happier.
There is the debate where travellers feel as though these changes are for the benefit of the doubt, wholly based on maintaining the reputation of airports, where the passenger satisfaction would obviously boost up the overall reputation.
If you’re heading off somewhere soon, please comment below and let me know what you think about the changes within airports. Do you prefer it now, and is it less patronising having someone watching you whenever you go through security? Let us know!
Image: Nick / Wikimedia Commons
