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| Why Airline Hijackings Became Relatively Rare | Why Airline Hijackings Became Relatively Rare |
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| PARIS — The first airplane hijackings occurred not long after international air travel became commonplace. In those days, most hijackers were seeking refuge or riches, not mass murder or global attention for a radical cause. Terrorist hijackings were a later development, but after reaching a grim apex on Sept. 11, 2001, they have become less and less common. | |
| The motivations of the man arrested in Cyprus on Tuesday after he hijacked an Egyptian airliner remain unclear. But when the most recent threats to commercial air travel have taken the form of bombings, missile strikes or rogue pilots, an attempt to commandeer a flight while sparing the aircraft — and the lives of everyone aboard — came as a surprise to many observers conditioned to expect disaster. | |
| It was not so during the Cold War, when hijackings were often desperate attempts at escape across the Iron Curtain. In 1953, for example, Mira Slovak, a Czechoslovak airline pilot, was flying a DC-3 on a domestic route with 25 passengers on board when he suddenly diverted the plane to Frankfurt and requested political asylum. His daring escape was emulated by dozens of others through the early 1970s, including many who commandeered American flights to reach Cuba. | It was not so during the Cold War, when hijackings were often desperate attempts at escape across the Iron Curtain. In 1953, for example, Mira Slovak, a Czechoslovak airline pilot, was flying a DC-3 on a domestic route with 25 passengers on board when he suddenly diverted the plane to Frankfurt and requested political asylum. His daring escape was emulated by dozens of others through the early 1970s, including many who commandeered American flights to reach Cuba. |
| Jetliners also became attractive targets for escaped criminals, who used the planes and their passengers as leverage in ransom negotiations. Sometimes they even got away with it. | Jetliners also became attractive targets for escaped criminals, who used the planes and their passengers as leverage in ransom negotiations. Sometimes they even got away with it. |
| In the most storied case, a man who became known as D. B. Cooper boarded a plane in Portland, Ore., in 1971, armed with a bomb. After forcing the flight to land in Seattle, he released the passengers in exchange for $200,000 and a parachute, and ordered the crew to take off again. Once in the air, he leapt from the plane with his bag of cash and was never seen again. | In the most storied case, a man who became known as D. B. Cooper boarded a plane in Portland, Ore., in 1971, armed with a bomb. After forcing the flight to land in Seattle, he released the passengers in exchange for $200,000 and a parachute, and ordered the crew to take off again. Once in the air, he leapt from the plane with his bag of cash and was never seen again. |
| By the mid-1970s, at least 150 planes had been “skyjacked” in the United States alone, and radical groups in the Middle East had turned to hijackings as a way to seize the spotlight. In 1968, hijackers seized an El Al flight to Tel Aviv from Rome and forced it to land in Algiers. They held 22 hostages. After more than a month, the final 12 were released, and only after a boycott by international pilots. | By the mid-1970s, at least 150 planes had been “skyjacked” in the United States alone, and radical groups in the Middle East had turned to hijackings as a way to seize the spotlight. In 1968, hijackers seized an El Al flight to Tel Aviv from Rome and forced it to land in Algiers. They held 22 hostages. After more than a month, the final 12 were released, and only after a boycott by international pilots. |
| In 1970, Palestinian militants hijacked five planes — four bound for New York, one for London — to demand the release of activists imprisoned by Israel. Three of the planes were forced to land at Dawson’s Field, a former British Air Force base in a remote area of Jordan, while a fourth was diverted to Egypt. The crew on the fifth plane — an El Al flight to New York from Amsterdam — overcame the hijackers on board and made an emergency landing in London. | In 1970, Palestinian militants hijacked five planes — four bound for New York, one for London — to demand the release of activists imprisoned by Israel. Three of the planes were forced to land at Dawson’s Field, a former British Air Force base in a remote area of Jordan, while a fourth was diverted to Egypt. The crew on the fifth plane — an El Al flight to New York from Amsterdam — overcame the hijackers on board and made an emergency landing in London. |
| “That was the first major terrorist hijacking attempt that captured the media’s attention,” said Norman Shanks, a consultant and former manager of airport security at Heathrow Airport near London. “They were not intent on killing people. It was simply a way to get publicity.” | “That was the first major terrorist hijacking attempt that captured the media’s attention,” said Norman Shanks, a consultant and former manager of airport security at Heathrow Airport near London. “They were not intent on killing people. It was simply a way to get publicity.” |
| It was not until Dawson’s Field, Mr. Shanks said, that the international aviation community began to take coordinated action to prevent hijackings. And it was only in the late 1970s that the International Civil Aviation Organization, an arm of the United Nations, began requiring that passengers pass through metal detectors and that hand luggage be X-rayed before boarding. | It was not until Dawson’s Field, Mr. Shanks said, that the international aviation community began to take coordinated action to prevent hijackings. And it was only in the late 1970s that the International Civil Aviation Organization, an arm of the United Nations, began requiring that passengers pass through metal detectors and that hand luggage be X-rayed before boarding. |
| Those steps were meant mainly to stop people from spiriting a metal weapon like a gun, knife or grenade on board, Mr. Shanks said, “but there was also a misguided belief that we could find bombs this way, too.” | Those steps were meant mainly to stop people from spiriting a metal weapon like a gun, knife or grenade on board, Mr. Shanks said, “but there was also a misguided belief that we could find bombs this way, too.” |
| After a bomb brought down Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, airports began to introduce additional screening systems to detect explosives. | After a bomb brought down Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, airports began to introduce additional screening systems to detect explosives. |
| Those security measures significantly reduced the number of hijackings but did not eliminate the risk completely. And in many countries, the enhanced screening procedures were used only for international flights, leaving domestic flights more vulnerable. | Those security measures significantly reduced the number of hijackings but did not eliminate the risk completely. And in many countries, the enhanced screening procedures were used only for international flights, leaving domestic flights more vulnerable. |
| That weakness was exploited on Sept. 11, 2001, when four domestic United States flights were commandeered by members of Al Qaeda wielding box cutters — which were not prohibited on flights in the country at the time. | |
| The Sept. 11 attacks prompted a new wave of tighter precautions. Airport security and screening in the United States were centralized under the new Department of Homeland Security. Airlines trained their crews to be more vigilant about violent or unruly passengers and to deal with them more effectively. Cockpit doors were reinforced and kept locked in flight. | The Sept. 11 attacks prompted a new wave of tighter precautions. Airport security and screening in the United States were centralized under the new Department of Homeland Security. Airlines trained their crews to be more vigilant about violent or unruly passengers and to deal with them more effectively. Cockpit doors were reinforced and kept locked in flight. |
| Those steps and others have made hijacking a higher-risk proposition over the past 15 years, said Philip Baum, the managing director of Green Light, an aviation security consulting firm in London, and the author of a recently published history of aircraft hijackings and bombings. | Those steps and others have made hijacking a higher-risk proposition over the past 15 years, said Philip Baum, the managing director of Green Light, an aviation security consulting firm in London, and the author of a recently published history of aircraft hijackings and bombings. |
| “There has definitely been a change of mind-set,” Mr. Baum said. “Since Sept. 11, they now can expect that the response from aircrew and passengers might be far more aggressive.” | “There has definitely been a change of mind-set,” Mr. Baum said. “Since Sept. 11, they now can expect that the response from aircrew and passengers might be far more aggressive.” |
| Hijackings still occur, however — and the hijackers are not always passengers. In 2000, a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight to London from Jidda was hijacked by two airport guards, both Saudi citizens, who forced the pilots to divert the plane to Baghdad. In 2014, the co-pilot of an Ethiopian Airlines jet locked the captain out of the cockpit during a flight to Rome from Addis Ababa and diverted the plane to Geneva, where he requested asylum. | Hijackings still occur, however — and the hijackers are not always passengers. In 2000, a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight to London from Jidda was hijacked by two airport guards, both Saudi citizens, who forced the pilots to divert the plane to Baghdad. In 2014, the co-pilot of an Ethiopian Airlines jet locked the captain out of the cockpit during a flight to Rome from Addis Ababa and diverted the plane to Geneva, where he requested asylum. |
| Analysts say that enough doubt remains about the thoroughness of security at some airports that aircrews cannot confidently call a would-be hijacker’s bluff about having a weapon. | Analysts say that enough doubt remains about the thoroughness of security at some airports that aircrews cannot confidently call a would-be hijacker’s bluff about having a weapon. |
| “Today you can hijack an aircraft with just words,” said Mr. Shanks, the former Heathrow security manager. “All it takes is that uncertainty.” | “Today you can hijack an aircraft with just words,” said Mr. Shanks, the former Heathrow security manager. “All it takes is that uncertainty.” |