Should we be afraid to fly?

This week's topic on disaster management and preparedness has hit a little close to home for me. The case study article discussed the IATA recommended emergency response plan for air carriers. My father and my brother are both commercial airline pilots so they can certainly agree with the need for an effective emergency response plan to deal with public health emergencies.
After 9/11, airline security has seemingly gone out of control. People without printed tickets and proper identification are no longer allowed beyond the security checkpoints. TSA officials screen passengers for everything, from firearms and knives, to nail files and any liquids not in a 3 oz. container. Lines at security checkpoints are horrendous as people slowly remove their shoes and place them on the conveyor belt. Onboard the aircraft, bullet proof doors have replaced the previously flimsy cockpit doors and young boys aspiring to be pilots are no longer allowed into the cockpit, where they would once receive their gold wings. Undercover armed air marshals even fly alongside the crew. But are these measures even enough to prevent terrorist attacks from happening? Probably not.
For starters, pre-flight screening for firearms, knives, and other possible weapons will never suffice. There are numerous objects already onboard or that will pass inspection that can be used directly or modified in the advent of a terrorist attack. Keys and pens make great weapons, and so will a broken bottle of liquor. Also, the bullet proof doors installed after 9/11 are not man-proof. They may stop a bullet from penetrating, but a moderatley sized man could easily throw himself into it and knock down the door. Even though pilots carry firearms in the cockpit, most of them are not trained to use them properly. And one or two air marshals probably won't effectively stop determined terrorists from hijacking the plane.
It's scary to think that no one is safe while flying - we never were and we never completely will be. However, there are other preventative measures airlines can take to better ensure everyone's safety. Although it is necessary to screen passengers for potential weapons, efforts to screen for every little thing will prove not only useless, but time consuming as well. TSA needs to stop where it's at now, and other avenues should be considered. Two cockpit doors can be installed on every aircraft instead of just one. Once installed, only one door should be opened at a time. Pilots should be trained to use firearms and they should also be required to take continuous self defense training. Their first priority to is to protect themselves so that they can ensure the safety of everyone else. Public service announcements should also be made in terminals and on the aircraft pre-flight that educate passengers about how to recognize and react in a terrorist situation. Flying is a rather risky way to travel nowadays, and it can be pretty scary for many people. But, the more people are aware of what to look for and how to handle such events, the better prepared we will be in responding to airline emergencies.