Airports around the country will join in the observation of the anniversary of 9/11 today.
At Indianapolis International Airport, for example, a section of the World Trade Center steel recovered from Ground Zero will be on display in the Civic Plaza.
The steel artifact was presented to the Indianapolis International Airport fire department by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to honor local public safety responders, including airport employees, who deployed to the attack sites.
Year-round, the 9/11 Memorial at Boston Logan International Airport offers a place of reflection and remembrance. It’s located on a 2.5-acre site between the airport terminals and the Hilton Logan Airport.
The Place of Remembrance honors the passengers and crews of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, which were the two flights that left Logan Airport the morning of September 11, 2001 for Los Angeles.
Airports around the country are joining in the observation of the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.
One airport where the event is remembered year-round is at Boston Logan Airport, where a 9/11 memorial – The Place of Remembrance – honors the passengers and crews of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, which were the two flights that left Logan Airport the morning of September 11, 2001 for Los Angeles.
The memorial,designed by Boston-based Moskow Linn Architects, sits on 2.5 acres adjacent to the Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotel and includes a large glass sculpture that has two glass panels etched with the names of the passengers and crew of each flight.
Having been ‘this close’ to being a statistic of 9/11 instead of a horrified onlooker, I take this day very seriously and urge you to visit the Boston Logan International Airport 9/11 Memorial when you’re at that airport and to watch the short video on the airport’s website from the dedication day.
A new app – FlyRights – offers a fast and easy way to complain about discrimination, profiling and other improper behavior by TSA officers at airport security checkpoints.
The app was created by the Sikh Coalition, which found that while only 11 complaints of improper screening by the TSA were filed during the first two quarters of 2011, many Sikh, Muslim, and South Asian travelers believe they are regularly profiled by TSA at airports.
At some airports, the coalition says, 100% of Sikh travelers report being subjected to unfair secondary treatment.
The Sikh coalition says it created the app “to bridge the gap between community frustration about airport profiling and official action,” and worked closely with civil rights groups in the Black, Latino, South Asian, Muslim communities to develop the tool.
The coalition says complaints filed through the app will be reviewed as official complaints by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
On TSA.gov, travelers who feel they have been profiled or otherwise discriminated against at an airport checkpoint based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or sexual orientation are encouraged to submit a written explanation of their complaint.
In addition to allowing travelers to file complaints on-the-spot rather than after the fact, the FlyRights app includes links that go directly to the section of the TSA website that lists the current rights and screening procedures for travelers.
Each Friday on msnbc.com’s Overhead Bin I answer a reader’s question. This week everyone has the same question: Should I worry about traveling on 9/11?
On Thursday, U.S. government officials warned of a credible but unconfirmed al-Qaida threat to use a car bomb on bridges or tunnels in New York City or Washington to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The warning follows an updated travel alert issued by the U.S. State Department on Sept. 2 noting the upcoming anniversary and reminding U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad “of the continued threat posed by al-Qa’ida and its affiliates.”
“In the past, terrorist organizations have on occasion planned their attacks to coincide with significant dates on the calendar,” the alert said.
The warnings may have some American travelers wondering: Do I need to take any extra precautions as the day draws near?
The consensus: No need to stay home, but on this day especially, be alert.
“As we head into the 9/11 anniversary weekend, we continue to urge the American public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Friday. “Simply put, if you see something, say something.”
Security officials say they are, as always, prepared. “As with any other significant day or peak travel period, passengers may notice an increased security presence at airports and mass transit systems,” said TSA spokesman Greg Soule.
Alex Puig, regional security director for the Americas for International SOS and Control Risks, said that while “the heightened security posture of the authorities is warranted by the symbolism attached to the date … the main impact of the 9/11 anniversary on travelers is expected to be delays associated with that increased screening at access points to and within airports and other transport facilities such as subways.”
Puig added that the presence of large crowds at and traffic restrictions around the planned commemorative events is likely to disrupt travel and activities nearby as well. “Travelers should particularly anticipate well-attended gatherings in New York City and Washington, D.C.,” he said.
Mike Kelly, president and CEO of On Call International, said 10 years ago his company’s call center helped a lot of clients rearrange and re-work travel plans on and after 9/11. “We would not advise against travel on 9/11 this year. Rather we would suggest several ways in which to travel informed and prepared.”
Kelly suggests staying tuned to the news and connected via telephone and social media in case of travel alerts and events that may affect your trip. He also suggests packing some food items and an extra supply of medications (in their original containers) in your carry-on bag in case of unexpected delays.
