Summary

The 1988 terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which killed 270 people, and the more recent, and as yet unexplained, explosion aboard TWA flight 800 have shaken public confidence in the safety and security of air travel. The threat of terrorism against the United States has increased, and aviation remains an attractive target for terrorists. This testimony focuses on measures that need to be taken to protect the flying public from terrorists and how technology can improve aviation safety. GAO discusses (1) the aviation security system and its vulnerabilities, (2) the availability and limitations of explosives detection technology and other methods to counter the threat, and (3) efforts under way to bolster aviation security. GAO also discusses the September 1996 recommendations from the Presidential Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism.