'No guarantee' that security makes flying safer
16 January 2008There is no solid proof that rigorous security checks at airports make it any safer to board a plane, research suggests.
A team at the Harvard School of Public Health was unable to find any previous studies confirming that the process of X-raying luggage reduces the likelihood of hijackings or attacks, Reuters reports.
The study, which highlights the importance of travel insurance to cover unexpected occurrences on flights, also found nothing to suggest that asking passengers to remove their shoes improves safety.
Speaking to Reuters, researcher Elizabeth Linos said: "We'd like airport security screening to be of value.
"As passengers and members of the public we'd like to know the evidence and the reasoning behind these measures."
Christopher White of the US Transport Security Administration stressed that efforts to boost security in recent years "have not been for nothing".