Malibu residents were among the millions of Americans coming to grips with new security precautions in the wake of last week’s deadly terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Local flight attendant Kevin Crane was stranded in Atlanta for days until that city’s airport reopened for business. Once he was able to catch a flight out of Hartsfield International, Crane and thousands of others found themselves slowed down by additional rules and regulations, which have the nation’s airports on high alert.
Curbside check-ins have been discontinued, uniformed police are on patrol, check-in times have been lengthened by an hour or more, knives and cutting instruments have been banned from carry-on luggage and even airline employees are being searched.
Crane was sleeping in on Tuesday when he got an early morning call from his wife with news that three hijacked airplanes had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
“I was in total disbelief,” he recalls. “It was just nauseating.” Crane says it will take Americans some time to feel comfortable about traveling again. “The public has a fear of flying in general, but this is an act of terrorism-it adds one more element of fear.”
Fear may have been a factor that kept a lot of locals at home. Even as Los Angeles International Airport reopened to limited air service on Thursday, few seemed eager to fly.
Malibu Shuttle had eight scheduled pick-ups that day; all were canceled. Dispatcher Rich Leo says anyone who intends to fly should realize that all travel plans may be subject to change. “The airport is open,” he notes, “but information on flights arriving and departing is very sketchy. There’s a lot of confusion.”
Malibu Yellow Cab was making runs to LAX on Friday, but the company’s airport business was slower than usual. “Everyone is nervous to fly right now,” explains owner Kelly Karame, “but we are hoping that it will change next week and things will start to get back to normal.”
Karame says that airport officials have been very helpful in explaining the new procedures as far as taxis are concerned. His limo service, however, is in limbo as drivers can no longer meet their passengers at the gate.
Crane, meantime, will try to reassure his passengers that there is no need for alarm. He adds that over the years, he has seen vast improvements in airport security. “A few years ago, we could take our friends and family members through the back door. We could walk through security and they wouldn’t X-ray our bags. It’s gotten a lot better.”
Even so, Crane says the new measures may not be enough to stop a determined terrorist. “All the security in the world can’t prevent something of this nature. Hijackings were different in the past, you had an individual who wanted to go to Cuba, not someone who is on a kamikaze mission and willing to take their own life.”
Crane continues to feel very safe in the skies and says that the traveling public should be patient and supportive of the new measures. Still, a week of mind-numbing images and uncertainty has changed a way of life for tourists, business people and seasoned world travelers alike.
Betsy Superfon, who has a friend among those missing in New York, canceled a long-awaited adventure to Africa. “It’s been really, really hard,” she explains. “I just want to be home where I feel safe.”