Recognizing the folly of their ways

At least some people that will be listened to are talking about it:

Security officials should concentrate on people not objects at airports but simplistic racial profiling is not the way to thwart potential attacks on airlines, experts say.

They warn, however, that more effective behavioural profiling would be very labour-intensive, expensive and would not guarantee success.

“It’s the only methodology that can stay ahead of terrorism and terrorists,” said Philip Baum, editor of the magazine Aviation Security International.

“Screeners are spending far too long trying to confiscate scissors and shampoos and gels from people who pose absolutely no threat.”

A debate over the merits of profiling — where security staff focus their search efforts on people they regard as suspicious on grounds such as ethnicity and religion — has erupted since British police said on August 10 they had foiled a plan to blow up trans-atlantic planes using liquid explosives.

Immediately, airports across Europe and the United States tightened security: passengers were banned from taking liquids or hand luggage on board and travellers were rigorously checked. Some of those measures were later relaxed.

Baum said such actions, which caused airport chaos, flight delays and cancellations, were unnecessary and ineffective.

“The existing technologies have been proven to have limited effectiveness,” he told Reuters. “They haven’t as yet identified anybody who has been carrying an improvised explosive device on their person or in their baggage, whereas profiling has been proven to be effective.”

This is all prior to boarding and I don’t disagree with any of it. Once people are on board more changes are necessary. All alternatives should be investigated.

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