Airline Travel Blog

There’s an old United Airlines slogan that went “Fly the Friendly Skies.” Well after the events of 911 in the United States, many consumers wished for a change to a universal slogan of Fly the Protected Skies. The airlines, and more importantly the governments of the world heard, and very quickly airline travel entered into a new era of security consciousness.

There was a loss of a bit of ease and comfort, but in return consumers were assured that air travel was safer than ever, thanks in part to the implementation of air marshals, armed policemen right there in the airplane traveling along with customers, protecting and serving in the skies as well as they do on the ground.

But are airlines truly protected with the addition of armed guards? So far there have been few incidents requiring armed intervention, certainly nothing along the lines of the events of 911. But proponents of the armed forces maintain that as a deterrent, marshals are an effective counter to those planning misdeeds in the air.

This could be true, except for the small number of marshals actually in service. Fewer than 1% of flights currently have air marshals present, a number the Transportation Security Administration is none to happy to hear bandied about.

They refuse to tip their hands to terrorists by disclosing the exact numbers in the air, but it’s never been suggested that every flight would be covered, nor a majority of flights for that matter. But when it comes to protection, the presence of an armed marshal beats the possibility of one anytime. And consumers are beginning to wonder if the loss of comfort and convenience are indeed worth the very low coverage being offered to keep them safe.