As has been mentioned, the UK was the target of a series of terrorist outrages and attacks for over a century prior to 11/9, and yet it was still quite possibe to board and travel on planes to and from the UK with a minimum of inconvenience.
For example, in 1996 and again in 1998 I travelled from NZ to London with a Swiss Army Knife, a Zippo Lighter, a Walkman, and enough Duty Free Rum to intoxicate an entire frigate crew, and no-one batted an eyelid. I stuck my keys and so on in a tray- which wasn’t X-rayed- walked through the metal detector, and got my stuff back.
Let’s not forget that this was 10 years after Lockerbie. Trying to bring a Walkman onto the plane should have been the sort of thing that would get me hustled off into a windowless room by men in dark suits with sunglasses, but instead it was treated as just another piece of carry-on luggage, of no more concern than a camera or a book.
It’s now been over 5 years since 11/9, and if anything, the security restrictions are getting worse. The reality is that it’s a bloody long way to and from Australia to anywhere except New Zealand or Indonesia, and anyone who’s travelled internationally long-haul will know the unpleasant situation of waking up at some ungodly hour with a serious case of the dry horrors, and wanting a glass of water- but being unable to get the attention of any of the cabin crew. Having a 2l bottle of water handy is invaluable, but because someone might have explosive gel in that bottle, nope, no more bottled water on the flight. Instead, you have to make do with the plane’s supply, which tastes vaguely like it came from a swimming pool, and doesn’t come with a lid, which is somewhat irritating if the plane hits turbulence or whatever and you find yourself with a damp lap.
I’d like to think we as a society will calm down and realise we’re wasting time and money on un-necessary Masterpiece Theatre Of Security productions designed to make it look like The Powers That Be are “Serious” about Terrorism, whilst actually acheiving nothing besides inconveniencing the 99.99999999999% of travellers who would simply like to get from Point A to Point B, perhaps with a stopover in Point C, as fast as possible and with as little hassle as possible.
That’s not to say ALL security precautions are unnecessary- metal detectors and X-ray machines are obviously a good idea and both useful AND important to security. Making some poor backpacker take off his Timberlands and belt instead of just waving the Magic Wand over them? That’s stretching “necessary precautions” it a bit, IMHO.
It’ll be interesting to see if things change when they introduce that Total Recall type scanner that you can just walk through without having to stop or take off your shoes, have your camera bag X-rayed, or put your keys, watch, and cellphone in the little tray for closer scrutiny.
Somehow I doubt it, though.