Q Security at US airports has been very tight since the attacks of 9/11. How could this shooting happen?
Because the aviation security effort has been focused squarely on a particular threat: that armed hijackers could once again take over an aircraft, or attack it by some other means. So everyone, and everything, that goes “airside” — the area from which planes depart — is screened very carefully. But people accessing “landside” areas of airports are not screened. This is common practice at airports in much of the Western world.
Q But surely baggage reclaim is still in the airside area, protected from marauding gunmen?
Not for domestic flights in the US. When a passenger steps off an international flight arriving in America, they must collect their baggage and go through Customs. This is a secure area. But for flights within the US there is simply a one-way gate through which passengers exit the “airside” area. Baggage reclaim lies beyond that. In many airports, the reclaim area is adjacent to the roadway with just a glass door between, because it helps people to have only a short distance to walk to their cars. In any event, it looks as though the gunman actually took the weapon from his baggage; it is routine for guns to be checked in for flights within North America, as part of the gun culture that prevails.
Sometimes there is a dedicated security presence at baggage reclaim, but that is aimed at preventing theft of luggage from the area, rather than deterring armed attackers.
Q Has this happened before?
Not an attack in this precise form, though there have been isolated incidents in landside areas of other airports. In 2013 a security officer was killed and passengers were injured in a shooting rampage at Los Angeles International airport. The closest recent events are the attacks at Brussels airport in March 2016 and Istanbul airport three months later. In these attacks, suicide bombers and gunmen respectively were able to access areas which passengers use prior to the security checkpoint. and cause mass casualties.
There are also echoes in this attack of a suicide bombing at Domodedovo airport in Moscow six years ago, when a terrorist walked into the arrivals area. Thirty-five people died.
Q Will there now be changes to security at airports in the US — and elsewhere?
It somewhat depends on whether this turns out to be a random shooting event of the kind that are sadly common in the US, or whether there is a terrorist dimension. If the latter, then it is likely changes could be made to protect the baggage reclaim area and check in zone at US airports.
Aviation security professionals around the world are increasingly vocal about the need to defend airports as robustly as aircraft. Tough security that prevents terrorists boarding planes appears to be causing them to switch attention to airports, which are high-profile aviation targets that are often poorly protected.
Q Is Fort Lauderdale a popular airport with British travellers?
Yes. Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, as it is officially known, serves the important cruise port and beach resort of Fort Lauderdale. In addition, the airport is the alternative gateway for Miami. Norwegian flies there from Gatwick, while British Airways will launch a link to Fort Lauderdale in July. The airport is also a key hub for flights to Latin America, and for the US low-cost airline jetBlue.
