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?

@110APiccadilly

My dad flew a lot for work. He's a very people person and interested in everything. He was always ending up in the cockpit, particularly on smaller flights. I don't think that happened once after 9/11.

I should point out he was invited in - what I've or sounds like he just used to walk in.

I went on a cruise in 2001 pre 9/11 and they offered a tour of the bridge which we did. We’ve been on a number of cruises since and it’s never been offered again.

I used to have 2 or 3 cabin bags, sometimes containing my tools for example a slim scalpel. It was no big deal.

In 1979 I flew to Dubrovnik and bags were offloaded because the passengers hadn't boarded. We sat on the tarmac and watched them do it.

@Geamhradh

In 1979 I flew to Dubrovnik and bags were offloaded because the passengers hadn't boarded. We sat on the tarmac and watched them do it.

This happened to us on an American Airlines flight to NY in 1997.

You'd think that 15 years after the 2006 attempt, they'd have thought of a way to scan liquids in hand luggage without needing to put them in a tiny plastic bag. If the scanners for the hold luggage can do it...

It must be difficult trying to think and plan for every eventuality though. And of course, the fact that the cockpit needed to be locked allowed the Germanwings disaster. Unintended consequences.

Pre-2001 I was late for an American flight in America. No checks, ran (with a friend who wasn’t flying), to the aircraft door and boarded waving bye to my friend! My bag had been put on an earlier flight so was circling the carousel when I arrived!

My mum sat in the cockpit for take off once and as a child I went up to the cockpit a few times.

Having proper cutlery was a thing but I think that’s allowed again now.

I flew long flights regularly as a kid in the 80s and 90s and lots of times the stewardess would come and ask later in the flight if you would like to come see the cockpit... it was great :)

@Geamhradh

In 1979 I flew to Dubrovnik and bags were offloaded because the passengers hadn't boarded. We sat on the tarmac and watched them do it.

I had the same on a flight to Madrid back 1989.

I used to fly to Northern Ireland regularly in the early to mid 90s.

Security was as tight as it is now.

I'm glad people have experienced the same as me! (Baggage checks, body checks, baggage offloaded) was beginning to think I'm inadvertently on some file somewhere as a person of interest!

I do remember visiting cockpits as a child, and also far fewer limits on quantity of baggage, but the bag weight/number limits really started to come in when low costs noticed the CF of paying for hand luggage only and then taking 4 full sized cases and your dressing table as hand luggage. Remember when easyJet started and it was 'as long as you can lift it, you can bring it into the cabin".

I busted the cockpit when I first went on a plane, as I was really scared. It was 1998

You'd think that 15 years after the 2006 attempt, they'd have thought of a way to scan liquids in hand luggage without needing to put them in a tiny plastic bag. If the scanners for the hold luggage can do it...

They can do that, technically speaking anyway. It’s pure security theatre; it makes people ‘feel safe’ so they keep doing it.

Wasn't it the case that US internals flights were much laxer on security than international/European flights and that was what changed after 9/11?

As others have said, the liquids thing came in in 2006 after something else happened and the shoes after that man with the bomb in his shoes.

As previous posters have said the liquid and shoe thing actually happened after but the main thing I remember was they were looking for Knifes or other sharp objects after 9/11 whereas previously they had been only concerned about guns

When 9/11 happened I was on a plane going on holiday. When we landed my sister texted me what had happened. I got this text coming down the steps on the plane and asked the holiday rep what had happened and they denied it outright. Apparently they had been told to deny it incase it spread panic.

Anyway. A week later we were flying back to the UK and things obviously had changed a lot. For a start there were armed police walking around the airport. An old couple went through the bag scanners in front of us and denied having any "new" banned stuff in their bags but the scanner found a penknife. When security took it out to show him he got angry and three his bag on the floor in protest to having it confiscated. The armed police floored him and stuck guns in is face.

Now I know it was only 1 week after it happened but It was a massive learning curve for everyone.

I used to get taken into meet the pilots and see the cockpit. It was a standard request for me on every flight (about 5-6 a year) as a child. As soon as the plane left the tarmac, I started badgering my parents to ask the flight attendants.

Flew a few weeks after Lockerbie when I was 10 and that was the first time I recall feeling scared to fly.

@rosy71

Wasn't it the case that US internals flights were much laxer on security than international/European flights and that was what changed after 9/11?

As others have said, the liquids thing came in in 2006 after something else happened and the shoes after that man with the bomb in his shoes.

Well, whenever I watch Home Alone I always chunter at the bit where they all arrive at the airport with 4 minutes to go, don't do any form of checking in and an undocumented child gets shoved on at the last minute. IME even in 1991 whenever it was, that really didn't happen. At least not when I caught flights within the US.

It wasnt all Rose's and smiles. In the 1970s there were a whole spate of hijacking, after which cockpit security was tightened.

There were several fires and at some point they stopped people smoking on planes, though that might have been more of a public health thing.

Then came the use of bombs to bring planes down like at Lockerbie. Security was tightened each time.

I am mid-50's and so I am thinking back to the 80's and 90's.

On a long-haul flight over to Canada (as a teen on a youth trip so it must have been economy) we were all allowed to go up in groups of 3 or 4 to the cockpit and chat to all the pilots. and ask what the switches/buttons did). Meals were all on china plates with metal cutlery, printed menus and starched napkins. If there was a clear sky or a decent sunset expected, the captains would often announce when people could ask to visit the cockpit.

I can't remember when they banned smoking on planes, but smokers all used to be sat at the back near the loos. French and Italian airlines seemed particularly full with smokers.

Again long-haul, but it seemed usual to be able to get a row of three seats to yourself (maybe I just flew unpopular routes).

It was the norm to pack you hand luggage with anything you didn't want to burst/smash/leak over a suitcase.

Air fares weren't cheap and many State airlines were kept going as vanity projects.

@LemonLymanDotCom

Well you didn’t have to take your blimmin shoes off all the time.

I did, I used love wearing chunky/platform shoes and I always had to take them off and put them through the scanner incase I'd stashed drugs in the soles!

I also remember having to remove all jewellery, watches etc which you don't need to do now.

no checks on your hand luggage (weighing maybe!) I remember coming back from a long haul flight with a heavy garden ornament & you could take your manicure set on board, scissors & all!
& no xrays!

I went on my first ever flight, long haul, just a few months before 9/11. I got to go in the cockpit both times. On the way it aas we flew over desert and the pilot pointed out geographic features and where you could see there was underground water. On the way back it was at night, with a full moon. Everything was blue and shimmery and I could see the curve of the earth. It was stunning both times. I was 11.

Being questioned between London and Dublin in the 70s/80s would have been to do with "the Troubles" especially if your father was travelling frequently.

Gee, I had no idea.

I don't imagine this was due to 9/11 or any security risks, but a pp has prompted the memory that there didn't used to be weight restrictions on hand luggage, or if there where it was super generous. I remember bringing all my duty free, bought outside the airport back in hand luggage and going out with all my shampoos and spf in hand luggage to maximise my suitcase weight!