Airport security

Airport security: How can terrorist attacks be prevented?

Detecting threats well before they arrive at the airport is key.

"The United States and Israel have two of the best aviation security operations in the world," says Bloom, who is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's chief academic officer and director of terrorism, intelligence and security studies.

"They engage in intelligence gathering operations and identify people who are a threat way before they get anywhere near the airport," he says. "The farther away you handle it, neutralizing the threat, the better off you are."

Airport security isn't terribly complicated, says Bloom, who consults with airports about security. He advises clients that they need to collect and analyze data about possible threats, study their facility's vulnerabilities and figure out the risks to the airport.