The tragic event known as 9/11 affected many people in the United States and around the world. The loss of family/friends/loved ones, the search for Osama bin Laden, financial changes, increased military numbers, and the devastation in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC have changed the lives of many people. What affects almost everyone is the change in airport security in the United States. I chose to research the topic of change in airports after 9/11 because I travel a lot. Whenever I travel, my parents always mention how different airports were before 9/11. I never understood what they meant. Additionally, I only learned about the financial effects of 9/11 and personally heard about the loss of family members killed during this event. I wanted to know how 9/11 affects me and my family today. My iSearch question is: How did 9/11 affect airports and airport security in the United States? Before 9/11, airports and airplanes had virtually no security, almost none. Before September 11, only 5% of bags were checked. Now all bags are checked for bombs (Iorfino). This means that the chances of your bag being checked were only 5 in 100. It's scary to think that the chances of someone carrying a bomb or explosive that wasn't checked were very high. Plus, before 9/11, the things you could take on a plane now seem extremely ridiculous and scary. You can bring sharp knives, cutters and scissors. Additionally, the cockpit door was open and children were allowed in before takeoff. All you had to do was show your ID when boarding and going through security. It was rare that you had to pass your shoes through a metal detector (before 9/11). For my generation, it's strange to think that there was a time when they were... middle of paper ...... constantly faced with "random" selections for extra control at l 'airport after I decided to wear the hijab, or Muslim head covering' (Syed). Most Muslims are offended at being “randomly” selected for additional checks and interrogations simply because they are Muslims. Stereotypically, airports think all terrorists are Muslim because Osama bin Laden was. These new safety rules affected the time and rights of passengers, but ensured their safety. The next time you're at the airport and waiting in the long airport security lines, you'll know why they're there. Although it seems complicated, these rules and regulations are there to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew. This research paper changed the way I think about airport lines and rules. I now understand that they are there to keep us safe and are necessary to prevent another terrorist attack..