But a joint industry-FAA study in 1994 said more research was needed on the number of unaccompanied bags and costs associated with flight delays and missed passenger connections. Federal officials are now gathering more data. More than the cost of bag match, airline executives also say that they don't want to pay for expensive security measures because they doubt their effectiveness and wonder whether they are truly warranted given the relatively low threat. Airlines' red ink was front-page news, as venerable airlines like Eastern and Pan Am collapsed and a handful of other major carriers filed for bankruptcy. In other words, had times been flush, I think there would have been more regulations, more effort to pursue a higher level of security.
Skies are sunnier for the airline industry today.
Airlines posted record profits in 1995 and expect to build on that for the next few years. When the airlines sought to eliminate the tax or at least extend the exemption last year, they failed, unable to drum up the same sympathy. The fact that the airline industry is flush these days has not been missed. Oberstar remains skeptical. But some analysts also argue that the airlines risk the ultimate economic impact by not moving more quickly to embrace broader security measures, like matching passengers and luggage to prevent unaccompanied bags from getting on a plane.