What was flying like before 9/11?

[Wandafishcake]

I was 14 in 2001, I remember that security processes at airports got much tighter and more time consuming following 9/11, but I can’t properly remember what it was like before? Was the security much quicker and less intense? Could you take more things into the cabin with you?

My DGP used to come onto the tarmac at the airport to meet us coming off the steps from our flight to the rural US. And yes, take us through to catch the flight home and sit and chat to us until we boarded the plane.

@Sugarbellaella

The no liquids rule came later in 2006 - it was a reaction to another plot, not 9/11. I don’t remember there being many differences in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and I was on one of the first flights out of the US after it happened

Re the liquids restrictions, in the first few days/week after it was discovered that there was a terrorist attack involving planes planned there was a huge restriction on what you could take in the cabin with you. IIRC you could only take your travel documents and any prescription medications. Absolutely everything else had to go into the hold.

I don’t recall much changing in terms of international flights globally but security in New York was tight after 2001 I remember, I recall body scanners before getting on the ferry to Ellis island in 2002.

Liquids werent stopped until august 2006. I was due to fly home from Northern Europe that day, and remember the chaos at the airport well.

@MadisonAvenue I flew on one of the first flights out of the US post 9/11 and there were no restrictions on hand luggage. People are confusing it with the 2006 plot - pre 2006 you were free to take whatever you wanted as hand luggage. As a pp said - which I had forgotten- the main difference was relatives/ friends couldn’t come to the gate in the US (they had never been allowed at gate in the UK) and had to say bye ore - security

@WayneBruce

Yes, a word with the air steward would sometimes get a visit. The door to the pilots wasn't locked and often swung open when the pilots got lunch etc brought in. This has made me think. Are pilots allowed out on a longhall flight anymore?

I think the position on that must have altered after the Germanwings deliberate crash in 2015, where one pilot locked the other out and crashed the plane.

What I remember about before 9/11 was how in US airports you could accompany travellers right to the gate without having a boarding card, ID was much more lax, often only checked at gate, and only a tiny percentage of checked bags were routinely scanned.

Then again, I flew on some ropy small internal airlines. I remember once having a really bad landing at a Florida airport, and the pilot just coming on over the public address and saying ‘Whoops!’ I can’t even remember what the airline was called, but the cabin crew wore shorts and Hawaiian shirts.

The really strict restrictions on hand luggage were definitely 2006 - I flew back from France a couple of days after and you were only allowed passport, ticket and your house keys in your hand.

Ahh yes I had forgotten about the 2006 foiled terror attack.
Thanks everyone this is really interesting to read.

Internal flights in the US were terribly slack with security and at some airports it was complete chaos compared to anywhere else I had been (that included very busy airports)

Getting through check in was quicker.

Cockpit occasionally still happens once landed - my daughters were invited into the cockpit in 2019 after landing (I was so excited to get to sit in the cockpit, my 12 year old was a bit embarrassed at my over excitement)

We flew to and from Miami in December 2001. Didn’t spot any big changes flying from the UK but it was really evident that things had changed recently at Miami . We had to queue for five hours to get through the one bag scanner (nearly missed the flight) and still remember the guy who couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t let him take his samurai sword (literally) as carry on “But it’s so fragile! It might get damaged in the hold! I have to keep it with me!” “Sir, it’s a sword, we cannot allow you to take it into the cabin”

@Wandafishcake

Could people visit the cockpit pre 9/11?

My children visited the cockpit 3 years ago so I think that depends on the cabin crew/pilots.

My dc are only 12 and have visited the cockpit a couple of times as well, it must be possible sometimes.

I remember going to the cockpit mid flight in around 1997, it was great! My children went to it around 3 years ago but when we were still on the tarmac and delayed.

I also remember putting around 5 bottles of wine in hand luggage we bought at a winery in Argentina.

Cutlery! I’m sure it depended anyway on the airline, but I think that BA provided metal cutlery even in economy. I couldn’t say if it changed immediately after 9/11, but I think it was a factor.

As a child (in 80s/90s) I had a “Junior Jet Set” book that we’d take on every flight for the captain to sign, along with adding details of route and miles flown. My dad would give the book to one of the flight crew to pass to the captain, and would always as if we could visit the cockpit. I’d say about half of the time we’d be invited up to see the cockpit and chat the captain (sometimes after we’d landed).

I flew on a lot of internal American flights. Comedy pilots and sarcastic cabin crew. Like catching funnier buses. I once arrived slightly drunk clutching a bottle and they held up the plane and crew and cheered me on. They said my luggage might be on the following plane but it appeared on the carousel even though no one was sure where it was! I remember sharing some of my gin with a randy member of the crew who was moaning about not being able to smoke on planes anymore. It’s like awhile other world!

This changed after the attempted ram raid in Glasgow but you used to be able to pull up outside the airport to drop off or pick up instead of a field a mile away and paying £10 for the pleasure of waiting 10 mins in said field. Taxis could also wait at a stand or drop you off instead of one firm having a total monoply. Granted, this may just be Bristol Airport! Literally no point asking a family member to drop you off there now, cheaper to get a taxi or bus.

Much more relaxed. Children spent ages in the cockpit with OH captain and OH both keen sailors so navigation chat. After 9/11 was a tedious experience. I had prescription liquid medicine clearly labelled the security made me bin it. My little DS spotted a blue Peter presenter so ran through security to talk to him that caused a security kerfuffle the security man threatened to ban us from the flight bastard

Gosh you have made me feel old! Before 9/11 there was three years of my adulthood where i just hopped on a flight no lines or standing around. When i was a child in the 90's i often got asked if you wanted to meet the pilot, i was too scared! In the 80's my dad would smoke on a flight! He always got bollocked from my mum, so would go with the men in the front of the plain.

Definitely more relaxed. The golden flying years for me were mid-late 90s. There were lots of little cheap carriers that were proper good value, none of this pay 2p but anything you want like a seat costs hundreds nonsense. And everything was more flexible so even if you made a mistake they didn't charge you loads of money for it. Also Stansted was a really nice airport. I used to actively choose it because it was so quiet and hassle free - can you imagine? The first time I came into Stansted there were no checks at all on the European citizens entry point. I mean there wasn't even a member of staff looking at passports, we just walked on into the UK. Crackers really I suppose but it made for a much more pleasant experience.

@Wandafishcake

Could people visit the cockpit pre 9/11?

Yes you could and it was a common occurrence. My brother is a pilot, we flew on many of his flights before 9/11 and the kids used to love going into the cockpit. I often sat in in the cockpit during take off and landing and this was on commercial mid to long haul flights.

[quote Sugarbellaella]@MadisonAvenue I flew on one of the first flights out of the US post 9/11 and there were no restrictions on hand luggage. People are confusing it with the 2006 plot - pre 2006 you were free to take whatever you wanted as hand luggage. As a pp said - which I had forgotten- the main difference was relatives/ friends couldn’t come to the gate in the US (they had never been allowed at gate in the UK) and had to say bye ore - security[/quote]
Yes, it’s the 2006 plot that I’m referring to. I had a friend fly out to Australia amidst the chaos with just prescription eye drops, his passport and boarding pass in the cabin for the long flight.

According to some articles I’ve been reading today knives were allowed.

Also, it’s awful to read that some of the terrorists raised suspicions and were checked more thoroughly and still managed to get on the flight, one of them didn’t have suitable ID I believe.

When I was a young child pre 2001 one of the air hostess asked if I wanted to see the pilots flying the plane and they took me into the cockpit mid flight and the pilots chatted to me showed me some of the controls. Can't imagine that ever being allowed again. Amazing now I think back at it!

I could knit.
I could take my own gin and tonic in a water bottle 😊

Hand luggage was definitely scanned pre 2001. I and my dad seem to attract attention for extra searches even though we're white and British.
I used to smoke on transatlantic flights!