Arriving at the airport two hours early, submitting to body scanners, placing liquids in small bottles, or removing shoes are actions that we today have completely normalized, but it was not always like this. Before the September 11, 2001 attacks, security controls at airports were much more flexible and less intrusive.
The September 11, 2001 attacks marked a before and after at many levels, including in the reinforcement of security at airports. The attack provoked a profound transformation in the way governments and aviation authorities approached the protection of passengers and infrastructure.
In the years that followed the attack, successive layers of security were added, with the aim of avoiding at all costs that something similar would happen again. These measures included the implementation of more sophisticated body scanners, restrictions on the transport of liquids, and the requirement to remove footwear during security controls.
