Airport Security - an oxymoron?

A friend kindly offered to transport and deliver a wrapped up holiday gift from someone I know to me. She was carrying it in her suitcase never having inquired what the gift might be. Long story short, it turned out to be a thoughtful, useful, new design, very lovely wine stopper with an in-the-bottle insert the size of a three inch blade. After tearing apart holiday gift wrapping, much confusion and negotiation, she was allowed to transport it. I am most grateful and pleased she did.

However: Here are some things I know about flight travel which leads me to believe our airport security system is far from smart or safe.

I have had the experience of walking through security and never being checked.

I have had the experience of being so thoroughly checked that my companion walked through unnoticed.

Control tower personnel are hired at less money and less training than ever before. That means an already vital and high stressed job is increasingly going to inexperienced personnel with less credentials, interest in the job and decreased ability to handle a profession that involves our lives.

Many airlines are hiring pilots with less credentials and hours than before.

There are more near misses than reported and the reports that have been published indicate some airports' near misses are as high as one out of three.

Why isn’t there increased public awareness about all of this?

Now that our holiday season is over and most of us who have flown have arrived at or returned from our destinations safely, how about new legislation for the New Year? How about a candidate considering this a vital enough issue to add to their campaign agenda and pledge to do something about it?

And while I’m on the topic of airlines…

What difference does code yellow or orange or red make? What am I supposed to do? Stop flying when I see a code warning? Or simply get scared?

And as far as US Marshals on every important flight, I’ve gotten to know many and they seem like nice enough people. Will they keep you and me safe? Who knows?

What are your thoughts and reactions to flying today? Do you feel safe?