Grangeville alone has a busy airport

Attacks triggered changes to life in U.S.

Air travel was one of many everyday activities that were altered after 9/11

By ERIC BARKER

OF THE TRIBUNE

Life changed following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The biggest and most lasting impacts, of course, were to the families of the nearly 3,000 people who died during the terrorist attacks and the thousands of service members who died in the resulting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But the attacks brought myriad changes to laws, regulations and attitudes that are still in place two decades later. Here is a brief sampling of the ways in which the attacks changed American life.

1. Air travel and security

Following 9/11, the Transportation Security Administration was created. Responsibility for screening airline passengers and providing air travel security was transferred from private security companies to the new federal agency. Cockpit doors were fortified and the number of federal air marshals on flights was increased.

Air travelers were exposed to an evolving set of security measures based on new threats and foiled terrorist plots. Regulations prevented some carry-on items such as anything that could be construed as a weapon. There was a short-lived ban on liquids, gels and aerosols. That was relaxed and passengers were allowed to carry a maximum of 3.4 ounces of liquids, gels and aerosols. More recently, the agency has allowed passengers to have larger volumes of hand sanitizer.

Only ticketed passengers were allowed to proceed past security check areas. To get there, they are now subjected to screenings that include X-ray examination of carry-on luggage and their shoes, and they must pass through metal detectors. Some passengers are pulled aside for increased levels of screening.

There was a time when travelers could show up to airports shortly before their flight departure times. Now they are expected to arrive two hours before their flights and must have verified identification.

2. Who are you?

The Real ID Act of 2005 set federal standards for state-issued identification. Starting May 3, 2023, airline passengers will be required to have identification that is compliant with the federal law. That means that residents of many states have to update their driver’s licenses if they intend to travel by plane or access certain federal facilities. response from firefighters and police who rushed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, Americans became more aware of the risks endured by first responders of all types. More than 400 firefighters and police officers died when the towers collapsed. First responders around the country were recognized for their service and the day-to-day risks they take.

That increased awareness also applied to members of the military as they deployed to Afghanistan and later to Iraq. Those wars took a heavy toll on the country’s all-voluntary military with some soldiers, airmen and sailors being deployed for multiple tours of duty. But it also led to a wave of patriotism that still exists. The war in Afghanistan lasted nearly 20 years and the war in Iraq lasted a decade.

ABOVE: Travelers wait in line as they enter the security checkpoint at the LewistonNez Perce County Regional Airport. LEFT: Checked luggage at the airport is screened. Safety measures increased at airports and elsewhere following 9/11.

Tribune file photos/Kyle Mills, Barry Kough

4. Security vs. Liberty

Congress quickly passed the Patriot Act following the 9/11 attacks. The new law gave the government broad authority to surveil Americans and foreigners alike, sometimes without their knowledge and without a court warrant. The Department of Homeland Security was created out of dozens of federal agencies as was the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. All that led to increased scrutiny on Americans, foreign nationals and immigrants.