Rebounding Air Traffic Means Greater Need for Airport Security

Rebounding Air Traffic Means Greater Need for Airport Security | Delta Scientific

Air travel declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, partly because of government restrictions and partly because of people’s fears about contracting the virus while on a plane. As the number of infections and hospitalizations goes down, those roadblocks are slowly being removed, and more people are flying. We at Delta Scientific know that more air traffic means a greater need for security to keep travelers safe.

What Restrictions Are Lifted?

Last year, the United States government required that anyone traveling by plane to the United States test negative before boarding the flight. This included visitors, immigrants, and U.S. citizens. Those restrictions have since been lifted, and while testing is still recommended, travelers no longer have to show a negative test.

Where Are People Interested in Going?

Analysis of searches for international flights demonstrates a particular interest in the following destinations:

  • Caribbean islands
  • Mexico
  • Tokyo
  • Paris

Searches for flights to these destinations have increased up to 40% over last year, when testing requirements were still in force. The current searches correspond with spring break, a time when many Americans, especially college students, get some vacation time and want to spend it someplace warm after a long winter. Paris and Tokyo are popular destinations in the spring because both are famous for their blooming cherry trees.

How Does the Number of Travelers Compare to Pre-Pandemic Levels?

In January 2019, 58.6 million people went through security checkpoints at American airports. From March 2020 to December 2022, the number of passengers passing through checkpoints was consistently less than in the corresponding month in 2019, before the pandemic. That changed in January 2023, when airport security checkpoints screened 60.5 million people. In February 2023, for the second month in a row, the 58.1 screened surpassed the corresponding 2019 figure of 57.9 million.

How Can Delta Scientific Products Help With Airport Security?

Our products provide access control by preventing unauthorized vehicles from entering the premises. Having exterior checkpoints at which people with legitimate business are verified and people without are turned away helps to make the jobs of security agents inside the buildings a little easier. Delta Scientific products also help to prevent terroristic vehicle attacks and ramming incidents.

Here are some products we recommend for airports and why we believe they may be helpful:

  • Traffic Teeth: When vehicles drive over these teeth in the correct direction, they sink harmlessly into their base. However, when vehicles drive over them the wrong way, the teeth puncture their tires, effectively preventing wrong-way traffic.
  • Bollards: Bollards are short, sturdy posts that can be installed in pedestrian areas to prevent motor vehicles from getting through without disrupting foot traffic. Bollards can be fixed or, if you have areas that you sometimes use for vehicle traffic, retractable.
  • Beam Barricades: A beam barricade has an arm that can be raised to allow a vehicle to go through or lowered to prevent access. These are useful in airport parking lots to give security personnel a chance to verify credentials.

Our products undergo testing to determine how effective they are at stopping a 15,000-pound vehicle traveling at high speeds. The highest-rated barriers can stop a loaded truck traveling 50 miles per hour. Our product pages typically include each barrier’s crash rating; otherwise, you can always contact us to verify.

Sources: 

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines/how-air-travel-traffic-is-rebounding-to-begin-2023.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html