It is not uncommon for an individual to have a fear of heights. Others fear moving at very high rates of speed. Combine these two fears together and you are left with a fear of flying. Although thousands of people travel on airplanes safely everyday, it is a logical fear to have. People are placing their lives in the hands of mechanical parts as well as other humans. This can be a scary proposition in itself, but coupled with the threat of terrorism the fear can be petrifying. Although the hijacking of planes is more common in movies than in real life, terrorist attacks such as those that happened in America on September 11, 2001, made the worst nightmare of many air travelers a horrifying reality.

Helpless

Airplanes are excellent targets for terrorists for one simple reason, the helplessness that passengers have when on an aircraft. If a terrorist tries to take hostages on the ground, people can try and run, the police will soon arrive, and the situation is contained within one location. On an aircraft, there is nowhere to run, no police in sight, and the location of the hostage situation is constantly changing. This presents a very difficult problem to law enforcement who are incapable of defusing a situation.

Economic Effects

The moment at which terrorists succeed at using airplanes to inspire fear in air travelers they have accomplished their aim. Since 9/11, the airline industry has been wracked with increasing economic problems, from security to increased ticket prices, to a drop in air travelers, along with a host of other fall-out factors. And, now, the increasing cost of oil is forcing once solid industry giants to lose their financial footing.

Security

Airlines have had to invest in expensive baggage and passenger scanning equipment, as well as hire many extra security personnel to help regain the public’s trust that air travel is safe. While such responses are necessary to secure the safety of passengers and ensure that further attacks are prevented, the resulting economic losses are large. This is why terrorist attacks that use airplanes have such a profound effect on society. Individuals lose their lives, fears are heightened, and companies lose money. Overall, terror in the air is a horrifying and effective way for terrorists to make their point and results in both economic and human loss that can permanently affect world markets.